


Queen of Hearts

by BeastGirl2k14



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), The Unsleeping City
Genre: Dirty Talk, Dream Magic, F/F, F/M, Lite bondage, Minor Choking, Skinny Dipping, addicts trying to support each other, bossy bottom rowan, kind of succubus stuff?, listen there will never be a non-related emily/siobhan set of characters I dont ship, magic sex?, they have chemistry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:20:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28483032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeastGirl2k14/pseuds/BeastGirl2k14
Summary: i just think everybody loves sofie and she loves everybodyalso, Siobhan and Emily have CHEMISTRY and that's that on thatwelcome to multi chapter Sofia centric fic with Poker references for some reason. This is loosely all one story with lines of plot looping all the chapters together, but each chapters jumps around in time a lot. I'd recommend reading them all, but it isn't required. The later chapters especially will make a lot more sense if u read the whole fic lold20 feels so niche, and tuc feels like the most niche part of it. with the new season, i hope folx actually see and read this! let me know if you like and want more!Upgraded to explicit for some chapters, each chapter has rating
Relationships: Sofia Bicicleta & Bruce "Kugrash" Kugrich, Sofia Bicicleta & Kingston Brown & Em & Ricky Matsui & Misty Moore & Pete the Plug & Esther Sinclair, Sofia Bicicleta/Em | Angel of the Waters, Sofia Bicicleta/Esther Sinclair, Sofia Bicicleta/Iga Lisowski | Madam Anastasia, Sofia Bicicleta/Misty Moore | Rowan Berry, Sofia Bicicleta/Pete the Plug, Sofia Bicicleta/Ricky Matsui
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	1. Royal Flush (Sofia/Rowan (E))

**Author's Note:**

> not beta-ed, at all. Will come back and edit this later lmao.

Sofia had worked in restaurants, bars, diners and other random service positions in New York all her life. She had met celebrities, politicians, Broadway stars. She felt she'd gotten her _starstruck_ out sometime in her 20s. Meeting Mr. March was one thing. She was _hotstruck_ by him, like just about everybody was when they met him. However, meeting Misty Moore was a different experience all together. Sure, Sofia was actually very impressed with her work. Sure, she was also a very hot older woman. But there was something that hit Sofia when she was bustled into Misty Moore's apartment by a little rat man. A force she didn't quite understand. But Sofia had just been introduced to a world of forces she didn't understand, so maybe meeting hot, mysterious, glamourous, enthralling Broadway legends who make out with the moon in front of her was just part of the gig. Besides, Sofia was pretty used to having crushes. Even when she was completely in love with Dale and he was, ya know, still here, she had passing crushes. Dale was so loving, and understanding and open. And he was _probably also bisexual! Idris Elba definitely stirs something in me!_ Sofia didn't have to hide those things. She never felt the true urge to act on it, she was very satisfied with her marriage, she thought they both were. Turns out she was right, but that doesn't change the fact that she's alone most of the time now.

Anyway. 

Sofia has a big heart. Sofia has eyes almost as big. And when Misty becomes Rowan, it's a lot harder to convince herself that all she feels for Mist--Rowan is respect, admiration and interest. It becomes very clear to her, and this may be shallow, that she's really into Rowan now that they're closer in age and she's not Broadway legend Misty Moore. It's not just that's she ridiculously hot, but it also feels as though the playing field is just a little closer to even. Sofia's still a magic newbie, but now they're the same level of famous in the waking world. Now she's not some hot, rich, famous gilf. She's just a hot, rich frilf (fae royalty I'd fuck, oh god)

"Sofie?" Her voice is a little higher, smoother, and just as lilting. 

"Hm? Oh, h-hey!" Sofia clears her throat and tries to look as casual as she can. She'd kind of lost herself in thought. Rowan induced rabbit hole thoughts. 

"Are you alright?" She puts a glass of sparkling water in Sofia's hands. 

"Oh, uh." Sofia runs a hand through her unruly waves of hair. She pulls the hair tie off her wrist, careful not to tug too hard on it with her magical strength. She'd snapped so many of her hair ties in the first few weeks of her magic-buffness. "Yeah." Last night comes flooding back in just as she's wrangled her hair into a somewhat decent high ponytail. 

"Oh god." Sofia covers her eyes with her hands. "Fuck, Rowan. I'm so sorry." As she drags her hands down her eyes, she sees the bottle of ibuprofen in Rowan's outstretched hands. "I pulled a Pete." It's mean to say, but it is sort of Pete's thing to get super fucked up and show up on Rowan's doorstep.

"Yeah, you did a little." Rowan's voice is alight with humor and that makes the dread settling on Sofia's shoulders dissipate a little. "It happens."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I just--" Sofia sighs and takes the bottle. "...was nearby."

"You have stamps on your hands from the bars on the other side of Manhattan." Rowan snags one of Sofia's fingers and pulls her hand into both of Rowan's. Rowan's hands are so warm, and soft as they toy with Sofia's. "And when you got here you said you ' _fucking ninja ran across like, 25 blocks of rooftops_ ' just to see me." 

"Well." Sofia tugs her hand away, not being able to stand the contact for any longer. "Yeah, okay, you got me." Sofia shrugs and smiles a little.

"You fell asleep pretty quick." Rowan sits elegantly on the ottoman in front of the couch Sofia had slept on last night. Sofia darts her eyes away from the expanse of Rowan's tan legs that peek from beneath her jade paisley silk robe lined with gold. _God, who wears such hot pajamas?? Oh man, I really do sound like Pete._

"I...had a lot to drink. I really don't remember getting here." Sofia laughs a little, but the bruises still healing away on her shins and forearms tell the stuttering memories of dashing across rooftops with Rowan's contact glowing on her phone were probably more choppy because of the amount of falls she'd most likely taken. "I'm sorry again...did I call you?"

"A couple of times." Rowan is leaning on the ottoman with her arms behind her and her hips forward and _god who looks like this at 7 am_?

"God." Sofia pinches the bridge of her nose. "Sorry." 

Rowan laughs just like Misty. Theatrical, but easy. She leans forward and puts a hand on Sofia's shoulder. "I'm here for you." She looks at Sofia so imploringly, she loses her breathe for a moment. "I mean, don't start showing up at my apartment every night, but..." 

Sofia laughs and looks away from Rowan's face, trying to ease some of the tension. Kind and mindful of other people isn't Rowan's natural instinct, so it kind of means even more when she works to be that way for Sofia, even in her own way.

"Do you want to talk about it?" And there's another not so natural act Rowan is going out of her way to do for Sofia. Rowan could talk about Rowan for hours, but listening to other people and actually caring? Not always her forte.

Sofia meets her warm yellow eyes and tries not to unravel right there. "Not right now, if that's okay." It's only been a few weeks and she's just...not ready to talk about Kugrash, or Dale, or The Unsleeping City, or her responsibilities, or the amount of booze she's been drinking nearly every night.

Rowan nods, squeezes her shoulder, her fingers pressing into the muscle there a little longer than may have been super necessary and then leans back again. "Want breakfast?"

-*-

Even just a month or so of being Rowan Berry and people already know her name. Like, waking world people. Sure, all the fae still know her. But almost as soon as they enter the greasy little oh-so New York deli, folks are saying hi to her, calling her name from across the restaurant. By the time they make it to the booth Rowan likes sitting at, their drinks are sitting on the table. A cortado for Rowan and a black coffee with two expresso shots and a bowl of little creamer containers sitting next to it, for Sofia. Rowan was just as enthralling as Misty, if not more so. Sofia lands in her side of the booth and leans over the cup, breathing in the scent of her coffee before actually drinking it. Rowan was familiar with this ritual of courtship between Sofia and her coffee. First, the inhaling, then the sipping, then the adding creamer, then the sipping more so she can add more creamer, and finally, chugging almost all of it in a few gulps. Rowan orders her another one with a little wave of her hand and it arrives at their table just as Sofia finishes her coffee. She smiles gratefully at Rowan and begins the process again. 

"What can I get you lovely ladies?" Sofia peers over the edge of her cup and tries to stop herself from glaring. It's _Jimmy_. The boyishly handsome, oh so charming, very good waiter who flirts relentlessly with Rowan whenever they come in. He give Sofia a smile and then aims the biggest grin Sofia's ever seen at Rowan. She returns it to him as a smirk, leaning against the back of the booth as she ponders the menu. It's a performance, like much of what Rowan does is. She almost always orders the same thing. Sofia doesn't mind watching her though. She's so...well, she's just so pretty. Her hair is a stormy platinum sea of waves, and her skins is supple and tan. She's wearing this unfair sleeveless black cotton turtleneck, tucked into highwaisted houndstooth slacks. Her structured blazer is laid across Sofia's side of the booth. She'd carried their jackets to the booth while Rowan schmoozed with the local producers and agents. 

"Well...and I know this is going to leave you shocked and awed, James." Rowan's eyes bounce from Sofie's face to Jimmy's. 

"You always do." Jimmy breathes and Sofia resists the urge to gag.

"But, I'd like two fried eggs, over _hard_." Sofia actually rolls her eyes at that one. "Latkes, toasted challah and grilled tomatoes." Rowan nonchalantly hands the menu back to Jimmy. "And Sof will have blueberry waffles, bacon and a big bowl of mixed fruit." Sofia shivers at _Sof_ and she files that away for later examination. 

Sofia holds her menu up and Jimmy takes it. He chirps something probably mildly suggestive to Rowan and takes off to the kitchen. 

"Why do you do that?" Sofia inquires, sipping her coffee down enough to pour some more creamer into it. 

"Order for you?" Rowan tilts her head a little, but her eyes are focused on the newspaper now in her hands. "I thought you liked that." Another shiver, another mental note for later.

"No, no--I do. Not that." Sofia rubs the back of her head, the baby hairs at the base of her skull tickling her palm. "Flirt with Jimmy."

"He flirts with me. He's cute. I'm his age now." Rowan smiles. "Well, within 10 years of his age now."

Sofia rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, sure." She watches as Rowan's eyes flick up to her. "But, like..." Sofia tries to articulate exactly what she's trying to express. What is she trying to express? Rowan kind of flirts with just about everybody. That's just how she talks to people. And Jimmy's nice! He's a sweet, Jewish boy who doesn't say condescending, sexist shit to them when he flirts like some of the producers they deal with. Well, Rowan deals with and Sofia stands behind her looking buff and upset. But, maybe that's it?

"Sof?" Shiver. 

"I don't know. Forget it." Sofia forces a chuckle and takes a look at the little laminated coffee menu tucked into the wrack holding the syrup, jam, salt shaker and sugar packets. She's not going to order anything else, but she needs to look at something else other than Rowan's perfect face or her curious eyes.

"Miss Berry." Jimmy skitters over to the table. "Do you want apple sauce all over those latkes?"

Sofia braced for Rowan's next line. Some variation of _oh yeah, all over them please, Jimmy._ But that particular blow never came. "On the side." Her tone is stony and Sofia's eyes snap up to Rowan's face. Her eyes are still scanning the pages of the newspaper in her hands. Sofia glances up at Jimmy and he looks crushed. Sofia almost feels guilty. 

"Right away." Jimmy limps off and they're alone at the table again. Sofia stares at Rowan curiously. 

"Oh, they're dedicating a theater to me." Rowan smiles at the newspaper. "The Misty Moore Theater for Dramatic Arts. Lovely."

Sofia smiles into her coffee.

-*-

"Well, you have to come back to my apartment to get your things." Rowan says as they walk down the sidewalk. It's still a little weird for Rowan to walk down the street without mobs of adoring fans skittering up to her, Sofia can tell. "Want to watch that horrible _Real Housewives_ show you like?"

"Oh, my god." Sofia hops a few of her steps in excitement. "I've never heard better words." 

-*-

"Sof." That shiver runs up her entire spine this time.

This isn't the first time she's kissed Rowan. They've shared a few sloppy kisses in dark bars after maybe too many drinks, whenever Pete wasn't out partying with them. Rowan preferred classier bars, and Peter usually dipped fairly early in the night to hit the cool-kid-queer-bars and underground EDM clubs. So, most party nights ended with Sofia in her red bottoms and a tight dress trying to look expensive enough to be on Rowan's arm at these ritzy bars. The first time it had happened, it was just a few smooches that Sofia blushed about the whole taxi ride home but tried not to think too much about. Rowan never mentioned it anyways. The next time was much more heated. Sofia was drunk, and horny and they ended up at this shady booth in the back of the bar that was basically made for making out in. The world was tilting just enough and Rowan was just so pretty and she was so warm and Sofia wasn't sure who leaned in first, but she knows the moment their lips clashed together, Sofia was the first to start really _going in_. Why the hell not? Rowan kept telling her how pretty she looked in the dress she had bought her as an early birthday present. She kept running her hands up Sofia's sides or squeezing her biceps as they maneuvered around the bars. She kept looking at her with particularly dark eyes. Sofia was drunk enough to not care if it made their friendship a little awkward for a while. They've known each other for a long time now. She felt confident she could mend it. Or at least that's what her horny brain was telling her. She only manages to pull back from the soft curves of Rowan's lips when she feels Rowan's hand slide under her skirt. They cooled down and laughed and drank some more and then parted ways, Rowan putting Sofia in a Lyft. And again, it was never mentioned again, despite Sofia typing and retyping messages over and over again but never sending them.

This time however, Sofia had spent almost the whole day in Rowan's apartment. And she hadn't had more than a few sips of Rowan's favorite expensive wine. And yet, here she was, with Rowan in her lap, in the middle of Rowan's ridiculously huge bed, trying not to moan too much as Rowan kissed her. 

"Sof." Rowan repeats and Sofia's eyes flutter open, magically mismatched green and blue glinting behind her long eyelashes. 

"Yeah?" Sofia's pupils are huge and her brain is melting down the back of her neck. Her horny braincell and her logic braincell are fighting for dominance as Rowan holds her face between her hands and looks at her intensely.

"Is this okay?" The question bounces around her mostly empty head before the words finally hit her. Rowan is concerned about her? Rowan is concerned enough to stop her dedicated mapping of the muscles of Sofia's back with her searching fingers and to mostly pause her rhythmic grinding into Sofia's lap?

Sofia thinks, at least as much as she can at the moment. Rowan is...probably her best friend only second to Esther. She likes how Rowan makes her feel. Like she's important even though she doesn't hold any political or social power beyond her station at the monastery. She likes that when she's with Rowan and their alone walking down the street or in a bar or just in her bed binging The Crown, Sofia feels comfortable. Drunk or sober. She doesn't want to risk that. But she also dreams about kissing Rowan. Literally dreams about it. And she thinks about it when they sit at the diner, and she gets jealous when Rowan flirts with other people even though Sofia knows it doesn't really mean anything. And Sofia feels a little envious when Pete and Rowan are in their on-again phase and Pete gets to sleep in her bed and show up to Gramercy Occult meetings together and go out together.

"Sofia." Rowan strokes her cheekbone and tries to fish her out of her thoughts.

"Will you still be here if I fuck this up?" Sofia hears her voice before she even really hears the thoughts creating it. "Can we still get breakfast even if we do this right now?"

Rowan smiles as genuinely as Sofia's ever seen, a smile she only use on her, and the other Heroes of New York (but mostly her, she'd like to think). "Of course, darling."

Sofia surges up and kisses her maybe a bit too hard. Rowan isn't phased and returns in kind, licking into Sofia's mouth. Sofia doesn't bother trying to contain the moan that ripples through her at the feeling of Rowan's tongue. Rowan rolls her hips particularly hard at that sound and Sofia's quickly learning exactly what sounds she likes to hear; _All of them, and loudly._

"Again." Rowan breathes, her voice as ragged as Sofia's ever heard. She bites Sofia's bottom lip and rolls her hips hard again, and both of them moan into each other mouths. Sofia's bottom lip is going to be bruised from Rowan's relentless teeth and lips and tongue, but a few healing cantrips and concealer should cover it up just fine. The idea of Rowan leaving marks on her does do something very specific to her and her mental filing cabinet is getting absolutely filled up with new information today. 

"Lay down." Rowan orders and Sofia complies instantly as Rowan's hands push on her shoulders. "Can I unbutton your shirt?"

"Do whatever you want to me." Sofia breathes and she sounds so gone even to her own ears and entirely too lusty for how surprisingly sober she is right now.

"Oh, wow." Rowan sighs dreamily and give Sofia this absolutely _hungry_ look. "That's...a dangerous thing to say, Sofie, darling." She runs her hands almost reverently up Sofia's stomach. Sofia is wearing Rowan's clothes. Or at least the few of Rowan's clothes that actually fit Sofia. Rowan's taller than Misty, but she's still so short. Not to mention Sofia's hard earned muscles and her generous cup size also make all of Rowan's clothes just a little too tight on her. But, luckily, Rowan had an oversized white button up and a pair of Sofia's pants she had her tailor mend for her after a particularly rough mission. Sofia had been grateful for them this morning, but now more than anything she wanted them off of her. 

"I mean it." Sofia doubles down, emboldened. She runs her hands up Rowan's thigh and presses her thumbs into the creases of Rowan's hips.

"You trust me?" Rowan's fingers deftly unbutton Sofia's shirt. 

"Yes." Sofia nods maybe too enthusiastically. 

"Do you like this?" Rowan's using that high, guiding voice she uses when she's angling for something and Sofia's confused but nods again. 

"Yes, yes." Sofia moans again when Rowan pushes her shirt open and immediately runs her fingers down her chest. "You're so..."

"So what?" Rowan says instantly, her eyes intense and almost glowing. Is that what she wants? Dirty talk? Compliments? That's pretty on brand, if Sofia's honest.

"You're so hot." God, she sounds like Pete again. "You're so sexy, you--" Rowan rolls her hips and puts both of her hands on Sofia's breasts. "Rowan!" Sofia moans her name more than says it and maybe it would be embarrassing if she weren't immediately distracted by the feeling of magic passing between them. She could almost feel it coursing under Rowan's skin. _Strange._

"You're so beautiful, Rowan." Sofia's pretty good at putting puzzle pieces together, she'd like to think. Maybe she's not as whip quick as Esther, but she's got more than just street smarts. "You're making me so--" Sofia sees the magic this time, as Rowan slides a hand under her bra and roughly pinches one of her nipples. Silvery, blue, purple and pink light seems to glow up from Sofia's skin and flow into Rowan. She feels a little weaker for just a split second, but it doesn't last. As Rowan's hands move along her body and her hips roll against Sofia's, Sofia feels almost overcharged a snap second later.

"Rowan." She manages to say more than moan this time. Rowans half lidded eyes open and flicker up from where she'd been watching her hands work at Sofia's chest. "Are you...?" How does Sofia ask this?

"Is it okay?" Rowan asks, not needing the rest of Sofia's words to know what she's asking. "Sorry, should have asked, didn't know this would happen." She's trying to slow her hips again, but isn't succeeding like last time. Sofia prefers that, honestly. 

"Yes, yeah." Sofia pulls Rowan's hips down into hers as she grinds, wanting to see her perfect façade unravel even more. "That feels--You make me feel so good." Sofia arches up into Rowan's touch, her warm fingers still working at her nipple.

"Fuck, Sof." Rowan shoves her own hand into her pants and Sofia almost moans just at the sight of her fingers moving under the fabric of her slacks. Sofia doesn't really think before her body is kipping one of her hips up and using some of the tactics she learned at the monastery to flip Rowan onto her back. They end up a little tangled for a moment, but Sofia's quick fingers undo her own bra and then Rowan's pants in seconds. She tosses her bra across the room carelessly, hopefully not knocking over any of Rowan's expensive art. She kisses Rowan with teeth and tongue and almost growling aggression. Rowan spreads her thighs and how weirdly hot it is to feel Rowan's hand moving in her pants against Sofia's grinding hips gets filed away in that part of Sofia's brain too. Sofia kisses a scorching line down Rowan's blushing cheek, her clenched jaw line, and her warm neck. "Sofie, oh my." Rowan laughs a little and Sofia tries not to get too in her head about that as she sucks a careful hickey into Rowan's neck.

"Bad?" Sofia leans back to look at the mark she's left. Rowan's mouth is a mess of red from the smears of Sofia's lipstick, and she's sure she looks just the same. She feels a little pride at the bruise she's kissed into Rowan's skin, though she knows she won't get the satisfaction of her wearing it around. 

"No, no." Rowan grabs her chin and kisses her soundly, but softer than their last few kisses. Sofia melts into it almost instantly. "You're...amazing. You're just so..." Rowan makes a clenching motion with her free hand in the space between their chests. "I didn't know you were a top."

"I'm not always..." Sofia considers, flipping through memories of her other sexual escapades. She hadn't really thought about it in those terms. "You're just...ya know." It's Sofia's turn to gesture vaguely. 

Rowan kisses her again and then starts to shove her pants down. Sofia moves her hips and helps her get the slacks off her feet, tugging her panties down her legs too. Rowan peered down the line of her body at Sofia and _holy fuck_. She looked so carnal and turned on, and Rowan could almost swear her pupils were narrowed to slits before she was leaning back up to kiss her and they were blown wide again.

"Eager." Rowan can't help but tease. 

"Oh, want me to slow down?" Sofia shoots back, her hand pausing it's trek up Rowan's soft inner thigh.

"Don't you dare." Rowan lays claim to her mouth again as Sofia finally reaches the apex of her thighs. They both moan at the feeling.

"Fuck." Sofia breathes, dragging the pads of her fingers through the wet heat between Rowan's legs. She honestly can't wait. She's tired of teasing. The past few weeks of their relationship have felt like this odd teasing dance, and Rowan's obviously more than ready. Sofia moans at how easily her fingers slide into Rowan and she buries them to the hilt, whimpering at the soft, slick, hot feeling of Rowan.

" _Aiya, ikotane quel_." Rowan moans into Sofia's ear, catching the lobe between her teeth and making Sofia shiver. Sofia's fingers establish an unforgiving pace between Rowan's legs instantly. This doesn't feel like a slow fuck kind of hook up. Not with the way Rowan is clawing at her back and palming at her breast. Not with all the dirty things Rowan is whispering in her ear, some in Sealy and some in English. 

"Close already?" Sofia teases just a few moments later, because she can't help it. Rowan's thighs are spread as wide as they'll go, and she's already clenching around Sofia's fingers as Sofia fucks into her.

"You're so good at fucking me, Sof, how could I not be?" And damn, how did Sofia think she could out dirty talk a bard, let alone Rowan. Sofia curls her fingers as she rubs her thumb against Rowan's clit and that's it. It's almost hot how easy it is to make Rowan cum and Sofia instantly wants to do it again. 

Rowan cums much like she does many other things; dramatically, elegantly, and absolutely awe inspiringly. She moans in Sofia's ear in a way Sofia knows will be echoing in her dreams for probably ever? She arches her body up into Sofia's and tugs Sofia's free hand up to wrap it around her throat. Sofia fucks her through it and relishes in the wet slide of it as long as she can. She's starting to regret going so fast because now it's almost over and who knows if this will ever happen again. If she'll ever be allowed to again. If she'll ever hear Rowan groan and mumble her name like this. If she'll ever get to kiss hazy, post orgasm Rowan so slowly and gently and thoroughly.

-*-

Sofia sends Rowan a selfie of her and Ricky like she almost always does when they're together patrolling the rooftops. She doesn't really mean anything by it, but she also doesn't not mean anything by it. She's only talked to Rowan a little bit in the 48 hours since they'd slept together. _That's prudish._ Since they fucked almost all night. So, she doesn't mean anything by the selfie, but if both her and Ricky are looking particularly fit, strong and heroic on the edge of the Central Park Tower, well, what can she say?

_Rowan: Be safe._

_Rowan: Come over after your done Batman-ing?_

Sofia must be staring at her phone with a very particular expression, because Ricky catches it and looks at her with curiosity on his handsome face. 

"Can I ask what that's about?" He says when she looks at him.

"Uh..." She doesn't want to lie, but it's also not entirely her business to be sharing. Not to mention, she really doesn't want Pete to find out. Him and Rowan have their own thing going on and she doesn't want anything to come in between any of them. She wish she'd thought about that before, but also...that wouldn't have changed anything, would it? "Someone I'm seeing." She knows being vague probably hurts Ricky's feelings a little bit. But, he's too good to really show it and instead just grins at her. 

"That's good, Sof." He says. (And she suppresses a shiver. She's gotta reevaluate that last note about this Sof thing.) "I'm happy that you're...getting out there again." He pulls her into a hug, and she melts into his embrace. Nothing eases the soul like a Ricky Hug.

-*-

"Hi, darling." Rowan's in silk pajamas again, but instead of the robe and the revealing lingerie, she's wearing sleep shorts and a matching buttoned PJ top.

"Hey." Sofia says, trying to sound a casual as possible. "Sleepy?"

Rowan's eyes are a little swollen with sleep, and her face was free of any of her makeup. Her hair is still in pretty curls, but Sofia can tell there's some magic involved in that. She steps aside and lets Sofia in, mage handing her things onto the coat rack in the foyer.

"Yeah." Rowan closes the door and locks it behind Sofia. "I..." Rowan steps into her space and wraps herself up into Sofia. Sofia chuckles a little and holds her tightly. "Sleep over?" 

"Sure." Sofia keeps the surprise out of her voice as best she can. "Can I borrow some of your fancy PJs?"

-*-

Rowan wakes up before Sofia. Fae don't need quite as much sleep as humans do. She likes it this way, because it gives her extra time to get things done. Plus, she lives in the perfect city to only need a few hours of sleep if any at all. But right now, watching Sofia sleep peacefully in a pair of tad bit tight silk shorts and a Tisch t-shirt, she almost wishes she needed more sleep. 

Sofia's...beautiful. Especially with her unruly waves of dark hair and her messy bangs. Especially with a split still healing in her lip from whatever scuffle she got into tonight. Especially with her hand placed on Rowan's hip, holding her close even in her sleep.

-*-

"So, do you want to get breakfast?" Rowan calls from where she's getting dressed beyond the open door of her master bathroom. 

"Of course." Sofia responds, trying to keep her eyes from wandering over to the mirror reflecting Rowan's body through the doorway. That kind of goes out the door when Rowan leans out of the bathroom in nothing but a bra, a lacey pair of underwear and truly unfair garter belt, tugging up her thigh high white socks. "Can we go to The Stage Deli if I promise not to flirt with Jimmy?"

Sofia would be embarrassed by her brain short circuiting at the sight of Rowan's expanses of skin and lace and all the naughty images seeing her like this brought up, but then her eyes land on Rowan's chest where the hickeys Sofia had left there three nights ago still hadn't been healed away by anything more than nature. Did she keep those on purpose?

"Sof?" Rowan's looking at her knowingly and Sofia feels like such a horny dumbass. She shakes it off as best she can and tries not to blush too much under Rowan's gaze.

"Yeah, yeah. You know I love that place." Sofia tries to busy herself locating her shoes and putting them on. 

-*-

_Sof: Haven't seen u in a while? how's the Fae court?_

_Sof: We've made some new friends. 1 of them is like Pete when we first met him but minus any brains. 0 braincells, just monster energy._

_Sof: The other lady, I think u'd like a lot. she's somethin else._

_Sof: miss u._

_Rowan: Hi, darling. Have dinner plans? I'll be in NYC tonight._

-*-

"So, yeah." Sofia finishes. "That's pretty much what's been going on while you've been away."

"Sofia," Rowan slides her hands into Sofia's palms over the table and smile at her. "I'm really proud of you. I..." She's looks like she's swishing the words around in her mouth for a moment. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. The court has just required so much of my time. I...I miss you everyday. All of you, but especially you, Sof."

"Hey, don't get sappy on me." Sofia warns, running her fingers along the underside of Rowan's palms. "I know you'd be there if I called for you, that's what matters."

"How is Pete?" Sofia doesn't flinch hearing Pete's name out of Rowan's mouth at all and that's really improvement, isn't it?

"He's actually really, really good." Sofia smiles. "He's been sober basically the whole time you've been gone. He's actually kind of taken Cody under his wing which, I would have preferred just about anyone else, but is really adorable in a 'puppy dog adopts feral street cat' kind of way."

-*-

"I'll be staying at my penthouse tonight, if you wanted to come over tonight." Rowan gives Sofia a look that doesn't leave any need for clarification. Sofia nods and pulls on her coat, following closely behind Rowan as they exit the alcohol free restaurant they'd been at for countless hours tonight talking. 

"I don't have any other responsibilities tonight. Want to catch a cab together?" Sofia asks casually as they wait at the elevator doors. 

"Absolutely." Rowan throws her a little smile as the elevator dings and the doors open to an empty elevator. They step onto it together, and with a little swirl of Rowan's glittering magic, the doors close immediately after them. They're barely shut before Sofia's leaning into her, and Rowan's leaning up to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

"I love these pants by the way, Sof." Rowan comments against her lips, tugging on the waistband of Sofia's highwaisted leopard print pants. Sofia grins and buries her fingers in Rowan's hair, keeping her close the whole elevator ride down.


	2. High Card (Sofia/Rowan Pt 2) (E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very smutty! Plus some plot, fluff, cameos of other characters and feelings!

Rowan buries her face in the fluffy down pillow next to her head and tries not to shiver when Sofia runs her fingers along the absolute mess she’s made of Rowan’s neck and shoulders. 

_Click!_

”You’re so beautiful, baby.” _Click! Click!_ She can feel Sofia’s admiration seeping into her skin, energy crashing into her like a wave. It was hard to separate that feeling from the feeling of what Sofia was just able to do to her non-magically. _Click!_

Sofia had always liked taking pictures, generally. She had them stashed away in the hidden file on her phone posing as a calculator. But, ever since Rowan had been having to spend more and more time in Faery and Sofia had to spend more and more time at The Order, she’d been much more adamant about photos of their time together. Selfies at the restaurant, quick snaps of the tickets to whatever show or movie they were seeing, a shot of Rowan backlit by New York lights, and a picture of Sofia’s glowing red handprint on the curve of Rowan’s ass. All of the dirty photos couldn’t include any identifying features of Rowan, a remnant of her habits as Misty. So, Sofia was careful to keep her face out of the photo when she took pictures of her hickeys, made sure to avoid her tattoos when she took a photo of Rowan’s hands tied above her head, made sure to delete the photo of Rowan’s body arching as she came around the toy strapped to Sofia’s dedicated hips because _okay, okay, you’re right, you can see your face a little. But...okay, fine._

Rowan had taken to sending her a few naughty pictures randomly. To tease, to make sure she wasn’t forgetting about her, to feel some of her adoration, even at such a distance. That’s how tonight started. She hadn’t seen Sofia in weeks. She hadn’t seen anyone in the city in weeks. Faery was a handful. What she was doing was important, of course, but gods, was it a commitment. She was finally able to steal a night away for herself and...well, the city is really lonely. Rowan did her rounds at the bars, restaurants and shows. She schmoozed and she got caught up on the Waking World and the Unsleeping City and even a little about Nod when she checked in with Pete. He looked good. Rowan felt guilty for seeing him. She knew she could be a trigger for him, but he was doing pretty good right now. Better than avoiding him anytime she came back, right?

They don’t hook up because it’s probably just not healthy for Pete right now and he’s doing _really_ good, he’s been sober for a week. She doesn’t want to take advantage of him even if he does look so handsome with his new haircut and his silly mustache. He does kiss her chastely when they part and she tries not to think too much about the aching in her heart at that.   
  


So, it’s her night on the town and she’s lonely. She’d been avoiding calling Sofia. It’s been weeks and last time they talked Sofia was with Dale. Which was good, and didn’t hurt a little or spark any jealousy in her at all. Nope, not a bit...  
  


So, she doesn’t call. But she does send a photo of herself in nothing but Sofia’s favorite lingerie set in the full length mirror in her bedroom. She doesn’t have to wait even an hour before Sofia landing on her balcony. It’s already unlocked for her.   
  


“Rowan?”   
  


-*-

The idea comes to Rowan when Sofia leans down to suck another bruising mark into the swell of her breast and she thinks about exactly what Sofia will be using these photos for. The first few times Sofia had taken these photos, Rowan knew it was half out of pride and half because she was always worried Rowan would drop her like she did with any of the other fleeting dalliances she’s had. By the time Sofia was asking to take photos of her own fingers buried in between Rowan’s thighs or audio recording of Rowan moaning her name, she was much more secure in her standing as Rowan’s favourite play thing. Rowan liked thinking about Sofia, lonely on Staten Island, thinking about her. Looking at these photos. Touching herself. Moaning Rowan’s name even though they were miles away and realms apart.   
  


“Sofie, baby.” Rowan pushes Sofia’s phone away and leans up to silence any of her protests with a kiss. “Wanna take some more photos?”

Sofia looks at her with such a cute mix of confusion and arousal. “Yeah?”

Rowan kisses her again, biting her bottom lip the way she knows drive Sofia crazy. “You can put me in any position that you want.”

Rowan knows it’s going to short circuit Sofia’s brain before she says it, so she gives her time to catch up, kissing her flushed cheeks and taking the opportunity to admire Sofia’s body in nothing but her panties and the bandage Rowan had to wrap around her thigh when she got here after a scuffle.

”I...uh...” Lost for words isn’t usually Sofia’s problem and Rowan almost feels a sense of pride at still being able to fluster her like this.   
  


“How about...” Rowan rolls on to her stomach and pulls her knees under her, leaning on her forearms and looking back at Sofie with a smirk. “On my knees?”

“Oh, lord.” Sofia mumbles. She fumbles for her phone and quickly positions herself behind Rowan. Rowan’s naughty lace panties are still on, and though they leave little to the imagination, she knows whenever Sofia’s brain reboots, she gonna want them off. Rowan decides to leave that to her and just arches into the bed, pushing her ass further out for Sofia’s enjoyment.   
  


_Click! Click! Click click click!_

The panties actually give Rowan an idea. There was always one good way to snap Sofia back from brain melted Hornyville: make her want to fuck Rowan enough to be able to form coherent thought again. And one good way to do that was to touch herself right in front of her.   
  


Rowan moans loudly, just the way Sofia likes, when she reached between her thighs, into her panties, and through her own wetness. Gods, when had she gotten so wet? Sofia always did this to her. All she’d done to her this morning was take photos of what they’d done last night and kissed her a few times and yet she was soaked. _Click_! She circles her clit with the pads of her fingers and smirks into her pillow at the sound of Sofia’s breathing and whimpering. _Click! Click!_ The moment her two middle fingers sink into herself, she hears Sofia’s phone clatter to the ground. Rowan feels Sofia’s left hand slide up the curve of Rowan’s back and her right hand slide into her panties, rubbing her clit with the little space she had to maneuver her hand between Rowan’s hips and her wrist.   
  


Fuck, Rowan was not going to last long if she let Sofie do this. But, gods she kind of wanted to. Sofia’s left hand was now pressing into the pillow next to Rowan’s head and her hot breathe was washing over Rowan’s pointed ear as she whispered filthy little nothings into it.   
  


“Sof.” Rowan moaned, slowing down her fingers moving inside herself. If she wasn’t careful, Sofia was going to say something naughty and breathy and her fingers were going to rub just right and Rowan was going to cum in record time and she just couldn’t let that happen. She was trying to spoil Sofie right now. “No, no, baby.” Rowan tried to sit up on her own knees but just ended up sitting in Sofia’s lap, Sofia’s chin resting on her shoulder as she settled.   
  


“Want me to stop?” Sofia’s fingers had stilled in Rowan’s panties, and thank the gods for that. In this new position, she was stretched delicious on her own fingers and Sofia was pressed against her back, and the more places Sofia touched her the more places Rowan could feel her adoration seeping into her. She didn’t mean to feed off her, but Sofia was fine with it and so Rowan barely ever thought about it when they were together. It just happened. Sofia was always whispering sweet things in her ears and touching her body like it was holy and fucking her like it was an act of worship. Her life force was so strong too, reinforced by La Gran Gata, The Order and her natural Staten Island spunk. Rowan could probably subsist off Sofia’s energies alone for the next handful of years, if she’s honest.   
  


“Yeah, yes.” Rowan leaned her head back against Sofia’s shoulder. “Don’t stop touching me,” She laced her fingers into the hand Sofia was holding onto her waist with. “But, stop getting me so close. I don’t want to cum til you’ve gotten all the photos you want.”

Rowan felt Sofia’s laughter against her back and relished in the feeling of her so close. Nothing in Rowan’s many many years had ever felt as good as just having Sofia close. “Baby, why don’t you let me make you cum like this,” Sofia’s lips are hot as she kisses along Rowan’s shoulder. “And then again in the next position, and again after that and—“ Rowan tried to keep her hips still at the sound of that very particular tone Sofie only used when she was talking dirty to her. That tone and a little bit of friction alone could probably make Rowan cum anytime, but especially now. She turned her head and caught Sofia’s lips in a desperate, sloppy kiss, relishing in the wet slide of their mouths. It was a good way to shut Sofia up for a second and distract her from trying to get her off. She nipped at Sofia’s lips as they parted and peered into her dark eyes.   
  


“No, I want—“ Rowan whimpered as she pulled her fingers out of her panties. Gods, the sight of how wet she was on her own fingers was almost embarrassing. “I want to give you what you want before I get what I want.” Sofie fingers follow Rowan’s from her panties, guiding her hand up to Sofia’s face and _oh, gods, this woman is going to be the death of me_. “You always s-spoil me,” Rowan has to look away from Sofie as she wraps her lips around Rowan’s fingers, her tongue swirling around the digits and as she hummed a moan. “I want to spoil you.”   
  


Sofia laughs again. “You spoil me every time we’re together.” She says after releasing Rowan’s fingers with a pop. Her left hand is leaving featherlight touches up and down Rowan’s stomach and her right is starting to tease one of Rowan’s nipples through the thin lace fabric of her bra. But both of her hands stay respectfully above her waist, obeying Rowan. “I have plenty of photos, all I want is to touch you.”  
  


“What do you do with the photos?” Rowan inquires as she tries to slow her breathing and distract Sofia.

“You know what I do.” That’s true. As Misty, she could barely feel any discernible information from the currents of magic she received when someone thought of her and felt adoration, or inspiration. As Rowan, it was very, very easy to feel who was who. Fae magic had a particular feeling to it and she knew when it was someone from her realm. Pete’s adoration came as swirling greens and purples, sometimes with cloudy blues or splashes of red. Ricky’s came as a warm, comforting wave of gold, presumably whenever he looked at the signed headshot she’d sent him after her first booking. Kingston’s was bright and far stretching when it came to Rowan, usually letting her know he was thinking of her after a meeting of Faery and New York. Sofia’s was different. Rowan could almost always feel it. Just a little. Maybe she was hoping she’d feel it and that’s why, or maybe it really was always there. Rowan would feel spikes when Sofia was thinking of her. Those spikes would feel particularly hot and radiating when it was late in the night and she was no doubt looking through her stash of photos. So yeah, Rowan knew.   
  


“Yeah, but won’t you tell me anyway?”  
  


”Only if you let me make you cum like this.” Sofia nuzzles behind Rowan’s ear and the chills that zip up her spine feel like lightening. Rowan rolls her eyes. Sofia can be so one track minded.   
  


“Go slow.” And that’s all Sofia needs to have her hand in Rowan’s panties again. Rowan’s breathe hitches at the feeling of Sofia’s strong finger sliding though her folds. She was so open in this positions, her knees on either side of Sofia’s thighs, and despite the brief break, she knew Sofia could get her off in two seconds flat right now.   
  


“I miss you a lot when you’re away.” Sofia traces her fingers around Rowan’s clit, avoiding direct contact. “Like, a lot” Rowan doesn’t miss the tinge of sadness in her voice and gods, she wishes she was turned the other way so she could kiss her. “Not _just_ this,” Sofia dips her fingers down to her entrance, teasing. Rowan’s breathe hitches. “But at night, definitely like this...” Rowan’s right hand grasps onto the muscle of Sofia’s thigh beneath her and the other slides up to tug at the hair at the base of Sofia’s skull. “When you’re so far away, and Dale’s gone,” Rowan’s able to keep herself from flinching at that. “And I’m alone in my bed...” Sofia’s other hand is teasing relentlessly at Rowan’s nipples, and Rowan can’t help but moan at a particularly hard pinch. “I start thinking about you, and how beautiful you are, and how beautiful you look moaning under me...” Sofia’s skin is so warm and Rowan can feel as much as see the silver and purple and pink pulsing from Sofia’s fingertips into Rowan’s skin. Nothing feels better than this. Nothing. “And I look at those photos of you, all marked up and fucked out...” Sofia’s teeth graze Rowan’s shoulder. “Or the ones with my fingers, or our toys...” Rowan can’t even try to stifle the whimper that bubbles out of her mouth when Sofia swipes along her clit. She slides her hand out of the waistband of Rowan’s panties and rubs her clit through the fabric for a few moments before pushing it the side. “Or the ones with your head between my thighs.” Rowan grinds her ass into Sofia’s lap at that. “I just have to touch myself,” Sofia slides two of her fingers into Rowan and Rowan’s hips react instantly. “Make myself cum over and over and wishing it was you.”   
  


Rowan was right. She’s so close so fast and Sofia isn’t being slow or teasing anymore. The filthy wet sounds of her fingers pumping in and out of Rowan mix with the stream of pretty little moans spilling out of Rowan’s mouth. She tries to think of anything to keep herself from cumming instantly (math, baseball, single person improv comedy, being cast as an understudy) because she knows Sofia loves fucking her for a long time, but all she can think of is Sofia, alone in her bed on Staten Island, fingers working between her thighs, looking at pictures of Rowan and—-

“Sofie! Fuck!” She can’t stop the riptide of her orgasm as it crashed through her. She clenches around Sofia’s fingers and tugs on Sofia’s hair and grasps her muscular forearm so hard she’s sure Sofia’s gonna bruise.   
  


“Wow.” Sofia breathes into her ear as she starts coming back down to earth. “You are...something else, Rowan.” Sofia kisses her ear, her cheek, the corner of her jaw. Rowan turns her head and catches Sofia’s lips in another desperate kiss, whimpering into her mouth. Rowan, with a little maneuvering and only a few breaks in their kiss, turns around in Sofia’s lap and wraps her legs around her waist. Her hands instantly land on Sofia’s strong shoulders and the tantalizing curve of her bicep. Rowan can’t stop kissing her for a long time. Hours maybe, minutes more likely. When she finally pulls back, Sofia’s pretty lips are swollen and her face is flushed and lovely and she looks so content.   
  


“I adore you.” Rowan murmurs, kissing Sofia’s cheek. “Take your panties off.”   
  


-*- 

“Rowan,” Sofia sighs are so...lovely. “ _Harder_ , please.”   
  


“I don’t want to hurt you, darling.” Rowan kisses the skin she’d been dedicatedly sucking a hickey into, smiling at the bruise already blooming on the curve of Sofia’s breast. Gods, Rowan loved Sofia’s tits. They were so sensitive and gorgeous. She could spend a whole evening teasing them, and Sofie would probably let her. 

“I want you to hurt me.” Sofia moaned, tugging on the ropes binding her hands to Rowan’s headboard. She could snap them if she really wanted to and it was almost hotter that she was staying put because Rowan wanted her to.

Rowan’s eyes snap up to Sofia’s and she raises her eyebrows. “Oh?”

Sofia looks...amazing. Her hairs down in dark waves around her head, her lips are kiss swollen and gorgeous, her eyes are so dark Rowan can barely see the glimmering magic color to them and her neck and chest are littered with hickeys. Rowan almost wants to take a picture herself, just so she can always have proof of the mess she’s made of this absolutely stunning woman. The pink rope tied around Sofia’s wrists are pressing angry red lines into her skin and she’s moving her wrist around like she like the feeling. _Interesting_.

”Fuck me as hard as you want, bite me, slap me, do whatever you want, _please_.” Sofia’s that level of worked up where she just says every horny thing that crosses her mind and looks at Rowan with such heat in her gaze that Rowan almost feels flustered. Rowan. _Flustered_. Ridiculous.

”Why would I ever want to slap that pretty face of yours?” Rowan brushes Sofia’s messy bangs out of her eyes and gives her a wink.   
  


“Because I asked real sweet?” Sofie kissed Rowan’s palm when she brings it down to stroke her cheek.   
  


Rowan hummed. “That’s hot, but I don’t know if I can do it, baby.” She ran her fingers along Sofia’s jaw and leaned forward to press a much too gentle kiss to Sofia’s lips. “But the other stuff, I’ll absolutely do.”   
  


-*-

“Fuck, fuck, oh, Ro-Rowan.” Gods, Sofia makes the prettiest noises when Rowan fucks her. The muscles in Rowan’s back and hips and thighs are starting to really burn but it’s truly more than worth it to watch Sofie come absolutely undone. Sofia’s moans and the filthy sounds of their toy pumping in and out of the mess she’s made of Sofia’s pussy fill Rowan’s ears, muffling the Etta James record she’d put on and the knocking at her front door. Rowan’s palms are pressed to the back of both of Sofia’s strong thighs, just under her knees, pushing them into Sofia’s chest. Sofia’s close, Rowan can tell. Her moans are starting to pitch up the way they do when she’s on the edge, and when she finally catches Rowan’s lips in a bruising kiss, her tongue and teeth are sloppy and distracted and stuttered by the whimpers she can’t keep down. Rowan loves it. Rowan snaps her hips as hard as she can with each thrust between her thighs, giving Sofia the exact impact she craves, punctuated with a _fuck!_ or _Rowan!_ or _Oh god!_ The rope snaps as she cums and Sofia’s hands desperately pull Rowan closer, her thighs slipping out of Rowan’s grasps and wrapping around her hips. She’s surprisingly gentle as she cradles Rowan’s head to keep her locked in their kiss and as her other hand presses on her back to push their chests flush together. Rowan giggles against Sofia’s lips and gladly settled into her body as she rides out her orgasm, moving her hips lazily to accentuate the aftershocks.  
  


“Hard enough for you, darling?” Rowan’s voice sounds cocky even to her own ears, but gods, Sofia is such a gorgeous mess right now. Her thighs are slick, her ass and inner thighs are red, her tits are covered in hickeys. That urge to grab her phone and snap a photos rises in Rowan again for a moment.   
  


“You’re...fuck.” Sofia has an adorable dizzy look to her right now and she gladly takes the moment to kiss Rowan back when she leaned into her. “You’re amazing.”   
  


“Thank you, love.” Rowan grins at her. “I l—“

_Knock knock knock!_

They share a wide eyed look as another set of hurried knocks sounds through the apartment.   
  


-*- 

Sofia’s limping when she gets up and Rowan barely conceals her smirk. She’ll tease her about it later, surely. Right now she has to focus on stashing this harness away and pulling on her silk robe.   
  


Rowan ties the ribbon around her waist into a bow and glides through her apartment, straight to her front door. There’s a delicious ache in her thighs and back and she tries to clear it from her mind as she unlocks the deadbolt and pulls the door open.   
  


“Yes?” She says, her voice sounding more breathless than she meant for.   
  


“Uh, hi, Rowan!” Ricky is standing in her doorway, charming grin on his face, and Esther at his side. “Sorry to bother you...uh, we called but you didn’t answer. We didn’t even know if you were still in town but...”

”Have you seen Sofia?” Esther cuts in. “She went on patrol last night and we haven’t heard from her since.”

_Oops_.

”Sofia?” Rowan asks, scrambling to form a story in her head.   
  


“Yes, our mutual friend Sofia.” Esther gives her a confused look. “‘Bout this tall, very pretty, high ponytail, love for wild cat print, mismatched eyes, heels, Sofia.”

”Right. Yes,” Rowan straightened her demeanor. “I saw her last night. She was fine!”   
  


“When last night?” Esther’s eyes start to narrow with suspicion and _holy shit_ , Rowan has acted in front of thousands and thousands of people before, how did Esther make her feel more nervous than that?

“Late.” Rowan replies and tries to figure out exactly how to spin this. They’d been hooking up off and on for a little over a year now and they’d never come this close to getting caught. Sofia had made it pretty clear that Rowan could tell people if she wanted to, but it was kind of fun having this all to themselves. “She stayed here last night, I’m sure she’ll check in at the monastery soon.”   
  


“She slept h—?“ Esther starts to question her and Rowan is almost happy that Ricky is cutting in til she hears what he says.   
  


“What happened to your neck? Did you get hurt? Did you go patrolling with Sofia?” _Oh shit_. Rowan had forgotten all about putting a glamour over the evidence of Sofia’s dedicated ministrations before answering the door. Her neck and shoulders were no doubt a mess of hickeys and bite marks.  
  


“I, uhm,” Rowan starts. Esther’s eyes are now bouncing around what she can see of Rowan’s apartment over her shoulder. She no doubt catches sight of Sofia’s coat hung on the rack in the foyer, and her red bottoms placed neatly at the door of her bedroom, and her Gucci belt that Rowan had gotten her for Christmas slung over the back of the couch.   
  


“Well, Ricky,” Esther claps her hands together. “Let’s go check at the monastery again and hopefully,” Esther raises her voice a little bit. “She’ll have texted one of us by then if she’s not already there.”

”Uh, okay, sure. I’m still confused about your ne—“ Esther tugs on Ricky’s arm.   
  


“Come on, honey, let’s go.” Esther waves at Rowan. “Bye, Rowan. See you later.”   
  


“Let me know if you need me to give someone a stern talking to!” Ricky calls as he’s tugged down the hallway. “I don’t like doing it but we can’t have people bruising you up!” Rowan just waves them goodbye.   
  


-*- 

Sofia: sorry, long night! I’m ok! Thnks 4 checking on me!

Esther: Good to hear from you!

Esther: Had me worried.

Esther: Long night? ;)

Sofia: gotta do my part in keeping New Yorkers safe or whateva

Esther: Mhm.

Esther: I imagine Rowan’s bed has never been more protected than with you there.   
  


Sofia: goddammit.   
  


Esther: I CAN’T BELIEVE YOUR MYSTERY PARTNER IS FUCKING ROWAN HOLY SHIT 

“Okay, you’re right, she knows.” Sofia groans, throwing her phone across Rowan’s bed and falling onto her back, her head landing in Rowan’s lap.  
  


-*-

“And with collaboration with the founder and leader of the New York Faerie Court, Rowan Berry,” Rowan looks devastating in her fitted white corset dress. “and both Voxs of New York; Vox Populi, Kingston Brown.” Kingston takes a sip from his steaming coffee. “Vox Phantasma, Peter Conlan,” Pete straightens up at the sound of his name, his handsome face lifting into a smile. “And Chosen One of the Concrete Fist, First Fist of the Monastery of the Midnight Sun and Chosen of the Great Cat, Sofia Lee.” Sofia smiles, waving a little. La Gran Gata glows in blue and white outline around Sofia’s strong shoulders. Their eyes both shine with magic. “We have successfully gathered an indispensable trove of information that will advance The Occult Society’s goal of further understanding magic. Thank you everyone.” Applause fill the air.   
  


-*- 

“You look beautiful.” Sofia tilts her head a little, standing next to Rowan on the cold New York sidewalk as they wait for a cab. “Staying in the city tonight?”

“I was thinking about it.” Rowan replies, trying to keep the blush off her face. Sofia hums, tightening her ponytail.   
  


“Well, I guess I’ll just go ahead and take Esther, Ricky and Pete’s invitation for a double date at Spaghetti’s then.” It’s a thinly veiled provocation, but Rowan still reacts, grabbing Sofia’s hand before she can think better of it.   
  


“Don’t miss out on my account.” Rowan attempts, trying to keep from looking at Sofia’s face. Sofia doesn’t miss that she’s still holding on to her hand. 

“Can’t ya just admit you missed me and want me to come over?” Sofia threads her fingers with Rowan’s. Rowan looks at her and remembers why she’d been trying not to. Those damn puppy dog eyes (ironic) and that charming smile. How could she even pretend to say no? It had been over a month since the last time they saw each other, and Sofia had been so busy with AA, Order stuff, Dale and the other Heroes of New York, she didn’t get to see Rowan two weeks ago when she was in town. It hurt Rowan’s feeling more than she cared to admit, more than was probably allowed for a friends with benefits situation. Sofia hadn’t missed that she’d been keeping her distance from her during the meeting. Or the fact that all of her texts and calls of the past few weeks had gone unanswered.   
  


Rowan hails down and oncoming taxi. “I...” She looked at Sofia and sighed. If she was falling into dangerous emotions for Sofia, why deny herself? They’d been doing this for a long time, why not dabble in whatever warmth spread in her chest whenever she thought of her, whenever she woke up next to her, whenever Sofia’s contact popped up on her phone. Whose to say these feeling are anything more than another passing phase? What’s the worst that could happen? Rowan opens her mouth just as she sees him over Sofia’s shoulder. Pete’s standing at the bottom of the stairs, next to Cassius. And he’s not looking at Rowan yet. He’s looking at Sofia longingly. Jealousy spikes in her chest and she frowns. _Right, that’s what can go wrong. She can hurt me._

“I missed you very much, darling.” Rowan allows herself to say. “Enjoy your dinner.” She opens the cab door and slides in. Sofia is frowning at her through the glass as the cab pulls away, confusion scrunching her pretty face.  
  


-*-

  
Sofia: not to be creepy, but i happened to notice ur apartment lights are on.   
  


Sofia: are you still in town or should i go beat up whoever is squatting in ur place?

Rowan stares at the screen for several long moments. _Things could be simple._ She could ignore whatever was building in her til it went away enough for her to go back to just fucking Sofia on weekends and getting lunch with her every fortnight and trying not to think about her too much the rest of the time. But if she was being honest, it was never really that simple, was it? She couldn’t pretend the lavish gifts and the tender kisses and the expensive dinners and the sweet texts and the coming back into town just to see her came only from her feelings for Sofia as a friend, now could she?   
  


Rowan’s a bad girlfriend. She proved that with Pete, though honestly they were both messes. How could—- 

A knock on her balcony door pulled her from her thoughts. She quickly rose from her bed and approached the curtain, pulling it back to reveal Sofia, sitting on the edge of the guard rail, waiting for her.   
  


“Did I do something wrong?” Sofia asks when Rowan opens the door and steps out onto the balcony. The cold New York air nips at her skin and she pulls the thin silk of her robe around her frame. Sofia looks... gorgeous, as always, but also upset.   
  


“No.” Rowan says before really even thinking about it. “No, Sofie, I...come inside, please?”   
  


-*- 

Sofia’s hard to resist. Anyone who meets her could tell you that. Rowan is not immune to her charms in any way. She’s certainly not immune to the pull of Sofia’s warm embrace and a movie. Rowan wasn’t even sure what movie they were watching, she was too busy relishing in the feeling of Sofia’s body against hers. She was so goddamn warm. Rowan loved it. Sofia was breathing these adorable little snores into Rowan’s ear and one of her muscular arms was placed under Rowan’s head while the other hand was still tracing little patterns into the skin of Rowan’s stomach even as she slept.   
  


“Sofia,” Sofia stirs immediately, ever the light sleeper since she’d gone sober.   
  


“Yeah?” Sofia stretched her legs a little as Rowan turned around in her arms, ending up closer to her face than she meant to.  
  


Rowan peered into her lovely mismatched eyes for a long few moments, Sofia staring back at her curiously. 

“Row—mn!” Rowan pressed her lips firmly against Sofia’s. She kisses her thoroughly, clinging to her arms. Sofia moaned when Rowan sucked on her plump bottom lip, releasing it and kissing her with every ounce of determination she could set behind it. She pulled on Sofia’s ponytail to tilt her head back and lick into her mouth, moaning at the feeling of their tongues meeting. She was kissing her so hard and so desperately, Sofia could barely do more than try to keep up and moan. When Rowan finally pulled back, her lips were swollen and wet and Sofia looked so dizzy.   
  


“Woah,” Sofia’s lips pulled into a dopey smile. “What was that for?”   
  


She could have Sofia like this and it could be fine, right? She could keep her just like this, and it could be enough, like it had been for a year. She was very aware that she wasn’t the only one falling into bed with Sofia. That’s was part of the deal. Sofia knew she wasn’t the only one warming Rowan’s bed too. Why complicate things with heavy declarations of fleeting feelings? Why not leave that to the poets and the stage?

“Nothing. Just wanted to kiss you.”

“Keep kissing me like that and I’ll probably never leave your bed.” Sofia giggles sweetly.

_Perfect._ Rowan thinks. She kisses her again.


	3. Two of A Kind (Pete/Sofia (T))

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sofie and Pete! Our lovely chaotic powerhouses. Em/Sofie cameo. Dash of Pete/Rowan. Pinch of Pete/Rowan/Sofie
> 
> Also, I forgot when Sofie's hair gets burnt after season one, she's just got a cute little bisexual bob. We love that.
> 
> TW for substance abuse, full description of drug use, mentions of addiction

Pete is instantly impressed with Sofia. How could he not be? She's gorgeous and she's strong and the first thing he ever really sees her do is bench press a giant ice cocoon into the air and the whoop absolute mutant Santa ass. 

His respect for her only grows as he gets to know her. They're...pretty similar if he's honest. Or at least, he'd like to think so. He pops pills every few hours and she sneaks shooters out of her purse and their both nursing broken hearts as they get thrown into this magical new world. By the time February hits after the battle in Time Square and Rowan is busy and Dale is locked away in heaven and it's Valentine's Day, it only makes sense that they end up sitting in one of Pete's favorite clubs together with all the other lonely hearts. 

"Shots!" Sofia's trashed already, slapping her palms on the surface of the table their sitting at, disrupting the thin white lines of powder he was scooting across the little mirror he kept in his breast pocket. 

"Sofie." He shot her an amused look and starts lining up the powder again. 

"What? I'm just trying to have a good fuckin' time!" Sofie waves her hand in the air at an already annoyed looking waiter. _Damn_ , her Staten Island accent really pops when she's plastered and excited. Pete kind of loves it. "If only I could get a few more fuckin' shots--Hi, Hi, Carmen?" Sofia squints at the waiters chest as she approaches, sussing out her name. "Carmen, doll, can I please--Ya know what, just leave the bottle, will ya? Then you won't have to see our mugs for a little while." Sofie's leaning over the table, disrupting Pete's lines again as she puts a wad of bills into Carmen's palm. _Insurance (fraud) money._ The bills she shoved into Carmen's hand were definitely considerably more than the bottle was worth, but Carmen looked more than fine with that and Sofie was already pouring herself shots with a big grin on her face.

"Want another line?" 

"Don't tempt me with a good time." Sofia leans into his space, putting a hand on his thigh as she used the other to hold the little metal straw Pete produced from his pocket. 

-*- 

"I miss Kug." Sofia's eyes are watery and her skirt is hiking up around her thighs, revealing the nasty scrape marring her skin.

"Sof, come here." Pete's strong, but Sofia's only a bit shorter than him and heavy with muscle and attitude and he's a little too fucked up to really be able to carry her. 

"No, no, I just want to lay in--" She leaned back all the way, despite Pete trying to hold onto her arm. She lands in a particularly soft looking pile of trash bags, instantly seeming relaxed and at home. "I just wanna lay in this nice trash."

"You can't sleep here, Sofie. My apartment is...a few blocks away." Peter's still holding onto her hand, looking around them, trying to figure out where they were. They were both a little too fucked up to be navigating, and Sofie was significantly better at navigating from the rooftops. When did they get so close to Central Park?

"Kug used to protect me when I slept in the trash. He'd feed me sandwiches with his dirty little hands and patch me up." Sofia is fully weeping now and it breaks Peter's heart. He sighs and kneels down next to her.

"I'm sorry, Sofie." He's holding her hand now more than leading her with it. He brings it up to his mouth and kisses her knuckles, his mustache tickling her skin. "I don't have sandwiches or bandages, but I do have..." He holds his other hand in the air and a little puff of sparkles and color swirls around his fingers. "Pretty magic, and...drugs!"

"Ah, Pete. I'm not 22 anymore, I can't do anymore coke." She laughs thinly, rubbing the tears away from her cheeks. She'd invested in waterproof mascara, so her eyes weren't smudged or runny, but they are absolutely brimming with sadness and Pete's heart lurches. 

"Well, come on. Let's go home and I'll try to make you some dinner or..." He looks at his cracked cellphone screen. "Breakfast."

"Wait, wait." Sofia looks around, her eyes glowing a little as she peered into the darkness surrounding them. "We're near her." 

"Huh?" Sofia's up in a flash, surprisingly limber and renewed with energy. She tugs Pete toward some destination she's absolutely determined to get to. Truly, having Sofia drag him into the shadowy depths of Central Park is considerably better than having her cry in the trash. 

-*-

"Hi, doll." Peter jumps when the metal angel reaching down to them suddenly animates, stepping down the fountain to stand in front of Sofia. They must have met more times than Pete had met her, because Sofia throws herself into the angels arms and greets her with a kiss to each of her metal cheeks. "Oh wow, someone's had a bit to drink, huh?" She casts a sideway glance toward Peter, and it's hard to totally read her expression as it's literally cast in bronze, but she seems to be sizing him up, wary of some odd man alone with absolutely plastered Sofia, even a man she knew.

"Me and Pete have been celebrating." Sofia grins, steadying herself in the angel's arms and stepping back a bit to include Peter in their circle. "He's my Valentine this year." She winks at him and he tries not to blush a little at that.

"Hey." Peter waves awkwardly at the angel. "I'm Pete."

"I remember you. I saved your life after you saved mine, if you recall." The angel says. "You can still call me Em." She looks at Sofia and then Peter again. "Well, if I wasn't already oxidized, I'd say color me green, sweetheart."

Sofia giggles, and Peter's only ever seen her this flirty with very few people. He didn't know she had a thing for bronze ladies. "You're my Valentine too. If ya want." Sofia is still holding onto Em's shoulder, wobbling in her heels a bit. "That's why I had to come see you." 

Em smiles at her and holds onto her waist to keep her upright, which Sofia looks very grateful for. "I'd be honored." She glances down Sofia's figure, catching sight of the scrape still beading with blood a few inches above her knee. "Ah, Sofie, what happened?"

Sofia glances down her own body and then shrugs. "Some asshole bouncer was harassing a group of women at the last club we were at and I taught him a lesson." She said nonchalantly. The way Peter recalled it, the bouncer had been brutishly trying to get at least one of the women's numbers as they came out to smoke and Sofia hadn't thought twice before she was getting into his face. He threw her into the side of a dumpster and she broke his nose. The usual. 

"Lemme patch you up, babygirl." Water trickles from the angels fingertips, forming into a glittering stream that wrapped itself around Sofia's thigh and seemed to wash Sofia's wound away like it was never there. Sofia sighed dreamily and planted a kiss on Em's lips, leaving a red print on Em's emerald lips. 

"You're the best." Sofia chirped. "Can I bring you a coffee Friday?" 

"Of course." Em smiled. "Bye, Sofie Bikes. See ya later, Vox Phantasma." Peter could feel the wind produced by Em's wings on their backs as she took her place on top of the fountain. 

"So, you've got a thing with the Angel of Bethesda Fountain?" Peter raises his eyebrows at Sofia as she loops her arm through his. 

"Mm, something like that." Sofia mumbles, leaning her head against his shoulder as they walked. "Magic is awesome."

Peter wonders if anyone will notice Sofia's lipstick on the angel's face tomorrow morning.

-*- 

Kingston is thankfully away at Liz's when they get home, and Pete doesn't have to shush Sofia as she stumbles in, singing Amy Winehouse. Despite mixing up the lyrics, Sofia's voice was beautiful. Pete's carrying Sofia's stilettos and her purse, half carrying her as well as they walk through the doorway with some struggle. Pete dumps his things on the floor next to the door and puts Sofia's on the counter gently. He stumbles a little as he maneuvers her toward the couch, half falling onto her as he sits her down.

"Peeeete." Sofia singsongs as she runs her hands over his shoulder and the side of his face as he untangles himself from. " _'Cause it's me and Mr. Conlan..._ " Sofia sings to the tune of whatever Amy Winehouse song she'd been humming. He smiles at her and kneels in front of her.

"Want your socks off?" She'd walked a few blocks from their subway stop with her shoes off and her socks were wet and ruined. She nods and holds out one of her feet to him. 

"I told ya I was trouble." Sofia sings, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against the back of the couch. "Yeah, you know that I'm no good."

"You've got a pretty voice." Pete comments as he gently rolls her socks down her legs and pulls them off her feet. He examines the soles of her feet, and thankfully there are no scrapes or cuts. He tosses her socks next to the door with his discarded things. 

"Thank you, Pete." She mumbles, running her hands through her bangs as her head lolls to the side. Her hair is so cute cut to her shoulders. "I was the lead soloist in my church choir for 8 years straight." Sofia smiles, eyes still closed, long eyelashes brushing her cheeks.

He smiles and pats her knees. The fountain water had done more than just heal her wound. It seemed to have completely washed away all the grime and sweat and glitter on her skin from the night. "Let me see what I can make for you."

Pete was still pretty high, but functionally so. No visuals left from the MDMA he'd taken earlier in the night, or the half tab he'd popped before they started their trek home. Just the warm, happy feelings and the stimulating energy. He looked through the kitchen. He honestly didn't do any of the grocery shopping. Kingston knew what he liked and got him his favorite cereals, and the sprouted wheat bread he liked, and local cheese from the farmer's market down the street. Everything else was Kingston's that Pete was always allowed to eat. Peter wasn't really a chef either. He assisted Kingston in the kitchen by chopping onions, mincing garlic and peeling potatoes. He could still make a grilled cheese though. 

-*-

"You're an angel." Sofia smiles at him as he sets the warm plate of steaming grilled cheese in her lap. 

"Are you coming on to me?" He teases and she swats at his arm.

She takes a bite of her grilled cheese and makes a noise that makes Pete's ears turn red. His eye widen a little and he looks to the side for a moment.

Listen, Sofia's a straight up MILF. She's too young to be a MILF technically, and other than the deer in the woods in Staten Island that she brings a bag of corn every weekend, she doesn't have any actual children. But she's a MILF. She's just got MILF energy. She's classically beautiful, with her high cheekbones and her round face and her pouty lips and those beautiful mismatched eyes of hers. She fusses over him when his hair is out of place and tells him he's _such a handsome young man_ , and protects him when they fight off whatever monster of the week is threatening one of the boroughs. She's got her Staten Island attitude and her designer clothes and curves that Pete pretends not to notice, because she's his friends and he respects her, but can't help drool over just a little. Just because she's his friend doesn't mean she can't notice that she's hot, right? He's a red blooded young man and Sofia lifting a full grown man over her head is kind of sexy, okay? And he just loves spending time with her. She gets him in a way he doesn't think many other people ever have. With Rowan busier everyday with Faerie, and Kingston busy mending his relationship with Liz, and Ricky busy with his own relationship as well, the city can be lonely. But Sofia's always a call away. He can show up on her doorstep and sleep on her couch and not have to worry about damaging their relationship like he almost always inevitably does with Rowan. He's just _safe_ with her. And that's nice.

"Pete," 

"Yeah?" 

"Thanks for spending tonight with me." She says, eat another bite of her grilled cheese.

"Anytime."

-*-

He doesn't remember falling asleep. They'd turned on Killing Eve and sat together on the couch munching on grilled cheese and some clementines Pete found on the counter, hearing Dr. Lugash's voice in his head reminding him to get his essential vitamins. When he wakes up, he's got a crick in his neck and Sofie's heartbeat thumping against the side of his face. He's laying with his head on Sofia's warm sweater clad chest, her arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders. His back aches, his lower body still in a seated position. 

"Sofie," He grabs her waist and shakes her a little. "Sofia." She snoring softly, her hair a messy haphazard storm of dark waves, and her head leaned against the arm of the couch. 

"Mhn?" Sofia rubs at the side of her face with one hand, slides her other hand up the back of his neck and is immediately snoring again.

"Sofia, wake up." He taps his fingers against her sternum lightly until she opens her eyes.

"Pete?" Her hands come to settle on his shoulders. "Oh gosh, ow." She tilts her hips a little under his waist, trying to stretch the tight muscles in her back. 

"Hang over?" Pete asks as she yawns. He sits up but stays within her reach. 

"No, Em's waters keep me from getting hang overs." She says, stretching her arms high above her head, her back arching off the couch.

"Ah, I see why you like her so much." Pete says, averting his eyes.

"Oh, god." Sofia's eyes widen and she sits up. "I can't believe I kissed her like that. In front of you. Oh, Pete." She runs her hands down her face.

"Hey, listen." He tilts his head and cracks his neck. "I was only a little jealous." 

She shoots him a look. "Ugh, I'll have to go apologize later."

"I don't know, Soph." Pete tilts his head the opposite way, reveling in the stretch of his tight neck. "She seemed more than happy to kiss you."

"Well, not the first time." She winks at him. 

Keys jingle in the door and they both straighten up on instinct as it swings open. "Pete, are you ready to--- Oh, hi, Sofia." Kingston brings in a breeze of coffee and egg sandwiches from the bodega at the end of the block. "Want a sandwich?" He holds up one of the still steaming sandwiches. She practically climbs over the back of the couch to reach.

"Kingston, you are not just the Vox Populi, your the Vox of my fuckin' heart." She says.

-*-

Peter's not a fool. He knows somethings going on with Rowan and Sofia. He can smell Rowan's expensive detergent on Sofia's clothes sometimes. He sees them getting breakfast sometimes when he walks past the Stage Deli. He sees the way they glance at each other when their drunk and partying with him and he's quick to excuse himself to some sketchy warehouse party or the other when he's on one of those offs with Rowan and would rather not see her feeling Sofie up the whole night. He doesn't always care that much. Rowan and him only dabbled in exclusivity very briefly, but that just doesn't really work for them. Sometimes nothing works for them and that's just how it is. It is what it is, or whatever Sofia's order says. 

None of that means he's immune to the tinges of jealousy he feels when he sees them together. Sometimes its aptly because he wished he was the one making Rowan laugh in the middle of their Faery/New York/Occult Society/Order meetings. Other times, he's jealous of Rowan, who gets to have Sofia's attention fully on her, her eyes full of adoration. And sometimes he's jealous of both of them, because he'd like nothing more than to be squeezed between them in a booth in the back of Persephone's (the bar that was usually their usual as it was ritzy enough for Rowan but edgy enough for Pete and had Sofia's favorite tequila.)

Pete shakes his head as if trying to disperse these thoughts and pops another Adderall. 

-*-

"You're so handsome." Sofia's drunk and fussing with his mop of hair. "But you need a haircut. Can I cut your hair?"

"Right now? No." Pete runs his hand through his hair, no doubt messing up Sofia's arranging. "I like having ears."

"Fine, fine, fine." Sofia almost throws herself off her bar stool. "Tomorrow?" 

"Sure, Sofie."

-*-

"You're hair looks good." Rowan is laid across the soft sheets of her bed, tan expanses of her skin on full display. "Sofia?"

He nods, pulling his boxers up. "She did a pretty damn good job, I think." He turns for her, ruffling the curly top of his hair and give her a full view. 

"You look great." Rowan nods, smiling at him fondly. "She's very talented."

He lays back down in the extravagant comfort of her bed, laying on his back next to her. She puts a hand on his chest as he scoots a little closer to her. They don't always do the whole cuddling thing, but sometimes it feels nice to be close like this. She runs her delicate finger along the scar under his pec.

"Did you know she makes out with a statue in Central Park sometimes?" That catches Rowan's full attention. 

"Excuse me?" 

"Remember Em?" 

"Oh, yes." Rowan has this unreadable expression. "Em."

"Very Sofie to have even a statue into her." Pete says. Rowan only hums in response. 

-*-

They aren't always good influences on each other. Sofia drinks more when they're out partying, and Pete wants to go out partying more just to have fun with Sofie. It hard, realizing that maybe he's helping her self destruct. But it's better than when she calls him late at night, crying and alone in her apartment. 

This week has been particularly pact full. It's their fourth night straight of partying and it feels like such a blur. He's gone through more 'shrooms and coke than he'd like to admit. And Sofia wakes up in one of their beds with a horrible headache every morning (or more accurately, afternoon.) This particular morning, they wake up in Pete's bed. 

"We gotta stop doing this." Pete says decidedly when he wakes up, Sofia already awake next to him, chugging water.

"Fuck." Sofia rubs her temples. "Yeah, yes. You're definitely on to something there, Pete."

-*-

"Sof?" It's late enough that even Pete's asleep when his phone starts buzzing. He barely catches it on the last ring, Sofia's face and name alight on his screen.

"I want to drink so bad." She mumbles through the speaker of his phone. 

"Oh." He'd used last night. She knew he wasn't on any streak of sobriety, or else she wouldn't call him. He wasn't her sponsor. But he was her friend, and he understood. "Are you okay? Are you home?"

Pete hears Sofie sniffle, and then silence, and then a sigh. "I'm...I'm not going to lie to you." Sofia sounds so tired. "

"Sorry, bad question." He nods understandingly, even though she can't see him. "Are you home?"

"I'm near home." She says. 

"Roof night again, huh?" 

"The city is so quiet up here. Peaceful almost. Have you ever felt New York peaceful?" She must be high up. She gets wistful like this when she's pushed herself and climbed to the top of a rooftop high above the streets.

"Sofie." Pete sits up in his bed, rubs at the sleep in his eyes and looks at the clock next to his bed. 4:44. "Where are--"

"Will you visit me?" She asks suddenly. 

"Huh?" He's confused, but his brain is still booting up.

"In Nod. Like that one time?" He blushes at the memory. He hadn't meant to spy on her dreams, but when she sleeps right next to him, it can be hard for him to control it. He'd stepped into her dream and seen her swimming naked through a swimming pool of crashing waves. "I promise to hopefully not be nude this time." She laughs, but it's thin and it's weighed down by what he can only imagine is the weight she feels on her shoulders.

"Yeah." He says. "Go home and I'll meet you there." He says.

-*-

"This is nice." Pete dips his feet into the coy pond swirling with rainbow colored fish. The press lipstick kisses to his toes and ankles, which is a weird experience. 

"This is the house I grew up in." Sofie says wistfully, twirling around in the soft grass behind Pete. "Hey, thanks for coming to Staten Island for me." 

"Dream Staten Island isn't so bad." Pete shrugs and looks over at Sofia. She made good on her promise and was wearing a beautiful leopard print dress, sinfully tight and gorgeous. Pete's clothes were changed when he'd stepped into Sofia's dream world. He was wearing an almost completely sheer button up shirt tucked into black pants with intricate floral designs embroidered into the soft fabric. Very Sofia.

"Pete." She kneels in the grass next to him. 

"Yeah?" Peter looks up at her, her shoulder length hair curled prettily, and her eyes intense as she looks at him.

"I'm really happy I know you." Sofia tucks a few of her fingers into Pete's hand as she sits fully down next to him.

He gives her a big grin. She looks happy here, not as tired as she had for the past few weeks. "I'm glad I know you, Sofie."

It's not surprising when she leans into his space, eyes trained on his lips. She waits, as if waiting for him to tell her no. He doesn't though. He doesn't want to. He closes the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. These things always feel a little different in the dream world. Touch, sensation, all of it. But Pete couldn't imagine it feeling any better than this. Sofie's lips are soft and giving and the kiss is short but Pete's dizzy when Sofia pulls away. 

"Sorry." Sofie mumbles.

"Don't be." Pete shakes his head a little, brushing his fingers reverently along his bottom lip. Sofia scoots close to him, her side pressing to his, and leans her head against his shoulder. 

"It feels so nice here." Sofie looks up at the sky, which swirls like paint being mixed. "I love Nod. It all feels so vivid when you're here."

"We can stay for the whole night if you want."

"I'd like that."


	4. Flush (Em/Sofia (T))

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lil Em/Soph blurb. These two will most likely get a more dedicated chapter but i thought this concept was cute.
> 
> Skinny dipping and Flirty!Sof, whats not to love

"Sofie, toots, you can't keep doing this."

"Better than ending up in the bottom of a bottle, Em." Sofia winces as Em's cold metal hand slides along her bruised skin and the gash splitting her forehead.

"Doll, this is..." Em slides her fingers as gently as she possibly can through Sofie's bloody bangs. "A lot of damage."

The idea pops into her head barely a moment before her mouth is saying it: "Well, can I take a swim, _Angel of the Fountain_?" Sofie tosses her head in the direction of the fountain, which is a mistake because her neck is aching and her shoulder is bruised to hell. The big bully guys she took down as they tried to threaten a women and her husband did quite the number on her. She may have been sloppier on purpose, just to feel a few hits. But, who's to say.

"That's not a bad idea, gorgeous." Em says. "But, I don't have any dry clothes for you." Em glances around the dark park around them, hoping to find a loose coat or something for her someone may have left in the day. Sofie takes a step back from her and shrugs. 

"My clothes are dry." She say. "Keep a look out for me?" She tugs the tight black fabric of her turtleneck over her head and Em stares. 

"Sofie, you can't be serious." Em starts, trying to still her hands as they unlatch her belt. 

"What? I'm not the first, or the last person, who's gonna skinny dip in a fountain. Maybe not even the first tonight." She tugs her zipper down and struggles the tight fabric off her legs. "Are you gonna protect my decency or what?"

"Oh my god, Sofie Bikes." Em spares another glance at her as she starts to unhook her bra and then returns to her perch atop the fountain. 

Sofie's shoes, socks and panties join the rest of her clothes in a pile and seeing all of her skin littered with bruises and scratches is a little alarming, Sofie will admit. She steps over the high edge of the fountain and winces at the chill of the water. 

"Oh." Em half turns towards her, not looking at her, but raising her hand in Sofie's direction. The water around Sofia heats up, turning pleasantly warm. Sofie's muscles instantly loosen as she sinks into the water. She can't help but moan. The water sparkles as it covers her skin, seeping into her wounds and soaking them away. Sofia watched the angry gash along her knee stitch itself up and heal away like she hadn't just gotten it less than an hour ago when she was tackled by a man twice her size.

"You really are an angel." Sofia says, and Em can hear the splashes of her moving through the water. Sofia catches Em's little glance her way, and pretends not to notice her looking at her as she paddles around.

"Sofie," Em is looking in her direction, but not fully at her. "Someone's gonna see you, doll."

"No ones around." Sofie flips onto her back leans her head back to soak her hair. The park around them is thankfully empty. Sofie would like to think New York is giving her a break, for once. She likes the thrill either way. She's no exhibitionist, but it is fun being a little bad. And the thrill of Em's bouncing gaze on her is more exciting and distracting than she cared to admit. It also nice to see Em guarding her, her sharp eyes scanning the park as far as she could see every few moments. It was nice being protected for once. Em looked so stoic and gorgeous from Sofia's position low in the water. Her wings are so pretty, spread behind her shoulders as though she had just alighted upon the fountain. Her gown moved like regular fabric when she was animated, blowing in the wind and pulling tight against the form of her body beneath. _What a lovely figure_. Sofia's own voice echoes from her memory.

"You're being a tease, sugar." Em steps down to sit on the edge of her perch once she took a final scan of the park, peering down at Sofie a little more steadily. 

"Oh?" Sofia kneels in the water beneath Em, the water settling just above her belly button. 

"Honestly, Sofie." Em probably rolls her eyes, but it's too dark for Sofia to really see. She gets the vibe though.

"Come down here." Sofie holds out her hand to Em.

"I thought you wanted me to keep watch." Em leans her chin on the heel of her palm and flicks her eyes away when Sofia stands. "Good god." She mutters.

"I changed my mind." Sofia murmured, stepping back to give Em room to step in front of her. To her surprise, Em lands in front of her without any further protest. She steps close into her space and Sofie tries to keep from squirming as Em leans close to her. She smells like metal and lilies up this close. Metal creaks as Em spreads her wings out and curls them around Sofie's body, shielding her from the rest of the park.

"Did you know that--" Sofie's a little breathless, being this close to Em, still dripping wet in the chilly New York night air. "Emma Stebbins designed you, and she was the first women and probably first queer person to receive a public commission for a major work of art in New York City."

Em laughs and brushes Sofia's wet bangs out of her face. "Did you look at my Wikipedia page?"

"Maybe." Sofia puts a hand on Em's waist, leaning a little closer to her. She had to tilt her head up to look into her eyes, but she didn't mind it. All the aches in her body had been washed away by the water. "Hi Temperance, Hi Purity, Hi Health, Hey Peace." Sofia calls over Em's shoulder at the little four foot cherubs under the basin of the fountain. That draws a big laugh from Em and Sofia revels in the sound.

Em leans down into Sofie's space. "I can't keep healing you up every other night, Sofie." She says with a tone of seriousness. "I mean, I can, and I will. But, I'd prefer not to. I don't want you to keep getting your sweet little ass beat up every night."

"I know, I know." Sofie sighs. "But it's a good excuse to see ya, isn't it?" She grins up at Em.

"Sofie."

"I know." Sofia slides a hand up to run her fingers along the cold metal of Em's cheek. "I'll be more careful, I promise."

"You can just bring me coffees when you want to see me, ya know, doll." Em leans into Sofie's warm touch.

"Sure, but where would I find the excuse to take my clothes off in front of you if I'm just bringing you coffee." Sofia winks.

"Sofia!"

Em's lips are cold against Sofia's, and kissing someone so solid is different, but it feels nice all the same, and she sure does love seeing her lipstick smeared across the pretty emerald of her lips.


	5. Full House (Pt. 1) (Em/Sofia/Esther/Ricky/Pete/Rowan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is based off that post that's like: so this is Em and Em’s girlfriend Sofia and Sofia’s girlfriend Esther and Esther’s boyfriend Ricky and Ricky’s boyfriend Pete and Pete’s girlfriend Rowan and Rowan’s partners,, literally everyone she has ever met
> 
> This is only part one so there's not a lot of em/sofia/esther/ricky/pete/rowan and more just individual pairs and trios slowly coming together.
> 
> tw mentions of characters donating to a d*mestic ab*se fund and attending an fundraiser for d*mestically ab*sed folks! mentions of sobriety, relapse, and drug use. Mentions of character showing symptoms of depression. Mentions of characters showing symptoms of anxiety. A lil angst.
> 
> this is a bunch of ideas and scene that got jumbled into one. This takes place probably about a year and a few months after the last ep of season 1 of TUC! for ref. the first scene is a flashback to their first thanksgiving together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some Jealous!Rowan!
> 
> threesome smut scene!
> 
> more pete/sof being soft together bc i love them
> 
> lots of vague mentions of polyamory and open relationships and what not but not very much in depth. may get into later. 
> 
> as i mentioned, this is a sofia centric fic, but this chapter dips into a lot of other characters individually bc i wanted to explore them.
> 
> lots of ships mixed in. rowan/sofie, though a rarepair, is my main ship for TUC but I also adore Pete/Sofia both platonically and not. And Esther/Sofia/Ricky is the ideal ship in so many ways and is really up there for me. But also Sofies so good with everyone its truly so much fun writing her with everybody. more dynamics and ships and interactions to come in part two!

_**Message to DREAM TEAM** _

_**vox fant asma:** I'm bringing hummus to Thanksgiving._

**_stiletto batman:_** _im bringing crostata!!!!_

**_mr. march sent a photo!_ **

**_mr. march:_ ** _Esther and I are bringing roasted sweet potatoes!_

_**"me n my bat" sinclair:** Sofia, would you like to carpool with Ricky and I?_

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _it's a date!_

**_vox fant asma:_ ** _damn, guess ill walk_

**_"me n my bat" sinclair:_ ** _You live upstairs, Pete._

**_vox fant asma:_ ** _still wanna be invited :(_

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _oooomg_

**_mr. march:_ ** _I can carry you down the stairs, Pete!!_

**_vox fant asma:_ ** _fuck yeah bro_

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _Esther will u carry me?_

_**"me n my bat" sinclair:** I mean,_

_**"me n my bat" sinclair:** Sure! It's not gonna be as fast as the Ricky Express, but yeah, why not._

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _ <33333_

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _i'll take the Esther Zephyr_ _any day_

**_vox fant asma:_ ** _gay_

**_stiletto batman:_ ** _mhm yeah go ride Ricky, Pete_

**_vox fant asma: >_ ** _;)_

**_mr. march:_ ** _What's up?_

**_"me n my bat" sinclair:_ ** _Don't worry about it, sweetie._

**_Kingston Brown:_ ** _You all better not bring this drama into my mama's house._

_-*-_

_"Could I kill everyone I love?"_ Pete remembers saying that to Nod _(the person)_ during his first visit to Nod _(the place)_ , shocking himself. It was true, he could feel it in his chest. He had looked at the hall of exhibits with his friend's names on them and remembers wanting nothing more than to peer into all their memories, bask in everything that made them _them_ and feel even closer to them. He'd never wanted to become closer to anyone like that before, not even Priya. 

Now, he sits at the Thanksgiving table at Kingston's parent's and stares at everyone there and wonders how he'd gotten so lucky. (He tries not to look at the seat left open for Kugrash either. Luck giveth and luck taketh away.)

Sofia laughs her signature laugh, dancing around goofily with Esther and Ricky and Kingston's dad. Sofia's hair is in loose waves around her head, brushing her shoulders, and her smile is as bright as Pete's seen in a long time. She's sipping Mama Brown's virgin cider and it's only been a month or so of sobriety but she's already starting to look better. Ricky is holding onto her hands, trying to teach her a specific dance move and _not_ wincing when she steps on his toes. He's so sweet, _just an absolute puppy_ and Pete's heart warms at the sight of his smile and his steadfast patience with Sofie's two left feet. Esther looks absolutely lovestruck with the two of them, her buff dorks, dancing around each other in their matching black turtlenecks Esther had bought them and they'd both decided to immediately wear just to make her smile. Esther laughs at something Kingston's dad says and hold his drink when he hands it to her.

"No, no, youngsters." Kingston's dad gestures his hands in a downward motion. "The Chalypso is like this!" He does a hopping little dance with Ricky, spinning Ricky around, and Pete tries to stifle a laugh.

-*-

Rowan's not jealous or anything. She may not be _Misty Moore_ anymore, but she's still _Rowan Berry_ and she's still a Fae badass and she's not fucking jealous of some beautiful fucking angel statue with Sofie's signature shade of red lipstick smudged across her lips.

It's the middle of the day and tourists are bustling around Bethesda Terrace, some even attempting to stave off the smothering heat of New York by paddling around in the fountain below Em. Rowan stands a good ten feet away, right in front of Em. A forgiving gust of wind flutters through Rowan's hair, and though the people around her can't see it through the _Umbra_ , Em looks at her, blinking, confused.

-*-

Rowan's a vision. She always is. _Listen_ , Em loves women. Loves the women who come to visit her fountain. Loves the women who look upon her and smile and say she's beautiful. Loves the women who bring their children here to play. Love the women who read at the edge of her fountain. Loves the women who take pictures in front of her. She loves them. And when Sofia stumbles past her fountain for the first time one day and looks up at her with awe and such lovely compliments slip past her lips and she shines with magic, Em can't help but give her a grin and tell her she's gorgeous. When Rowan helps save her and talks to her with such confidence and admiration, Em can't help but call her _toots_ and give her a wink and blow kisses at her and Sofia and their whole party before departing. When she gets coffee with Sofie and Esther, she can't help but marvel at Esther's strength and intelligence and confidence and tell her she can visit her fountain anytime.

And now, months and months after they last fought together in Time Square, Rowan stands before her, across the Terrace, starring at her from the crowd of bustling people. She looks gorgeous. She looks determined. She stares at Em and Em knows she sees the lipstick still on her face. Em wonders if the _umbra_ swirling in this park hides Sofie's lip prints or if the family taking pictures in front of her fountain will joke about crazy New Yorkers kissing statues when they return to their midwestern home.

Rowan's hair rises with a gust of wind and she looks _good_ when she's a little ruffled. Her tight white t-shirt hugs her figure closely, but the sash tie of her blue and white striped wrap shorts and her little black purse hanging off her shoulder flutter in the wind. Em would doubt she was really there if she wasn't affected by the wind. Rowan stares at her for a long time, her intense yellow eyes boreing into Em's. Finally, she nods, as if they'd had some sort of conversation, and then turns on her heels and walks away.

_What the fuck?_

-*-

"Rowan's in town?" Sofia looks shocked, balancing precariously on the edge of Em's perch atop the fountain. 

"Yeah." Em says, resisting the urge to grab Sofie's wrist. She's a lithe and graceful as a cat, but it doesn't mean Em doesn't worry her heels will slip and she'll bust her head open on Temperance. If it were anyone else, they couldn't possibly stand on the slick surface atop the fountain, especially in _stilettos._ But if there is one thing Em knows about Sofie, it's that she ain't just fuckin' anybody. "She just came and stared at me like a gorgeous freak and then walked off."

"Are you sure it was Rowan?" Sofia's heels tap along the edge of the basin as she circles Em absentmindedly. 

"Yes, I'm fuckin' sure, Sofie." Em's got eyes as sharp as the birds that rest on her wings in the sun. Plus, Rowan was Rowan. There were thousands of gorgeous platinum blonde women in New York, _sure_ , but not all of them had blazing yellow eyes, pointed ear and that _specific_ curve to their lips. "Don't think I could mix her up with anyone else, doll."

"Alright, alright, fair enough." Sofia stops in front of her and pulls her phone out of the pocket of her pleated leopard print shorts. She's wearing a tight black shirt that's _honestly?_ Barely classifiable as a shirt. Her neckline was cut to her sternum, revealing her collarbones, her strong chest and a generous amount of her cleavage. Her shoulders were bare except for the thin straps holding the top up and a little sliver of her stomach showed between her tight shirt and her shorts. It was distracting to say the least, and Em was almost thankful for New York's scorching heat if it meant she got to see Sofie in these little outfits. "She hasn't texted me."

"Didn't ya say she's been pretty under the radar since Pete..." Em gestures, lolling her tongue out and pointing a finger into her mouth. 

Sofia laughs a little, but Em knows as amusing as it may be, Sofia hated any discontent between anyone in their little _'Dream Team'_. "Yeah, well." Sofia stuffs her phone back into her pocket and looks at Em. "I wasn't the one who ralfed on her, I thought I'd still..." Sofie melts into Em's embrace from behind her immediately, sighing. "I don't know. I thought I'd at least get a fuckin' text."

-*-

_**Sofia:** are you in town?????_

_**Sofia:** u didn't tell me u were coming home!!!!!_

_**Sofia:** Rowan????_

_**Sofia:** well...i'm around tonight if you want to see me._

_**Sofia:** or whateva._

_**Sofia:** i'm probably going home soon. talk to you later._

_**Rowan:** Still awake?_

-*-

"Do you want to like, snuggle and watch Killing Eve?" Sofia's voice echoes in Esther's memory.

Esther has only snapped into the conversation when Sofia's blue and green eyes settled on her. Ricky had come in in nothing but bike shorts and a big grin for the interrogation of Don Confetti. She was almost thankful when Rowan minor illusions _'Hot DA outfits like from Law and Order'_ onto all of them, until she sees Ricky in his dress pants and his suspenders, and Sofia in a tight white button up and a leather skirt hugging her hips. Pete looks adorable in a three piece suit with intricate gold and purple embroidery and his hair combed for once. Rowan seems oblivious to the affect she's having, in her tight turtleneck black dress and long white peacoat, on Sofia and Pete, who are both pretending not to drool. 

"Sandra Oh is such an underrated actor."

Esther falls asleep with her cheek pressed to Sofia's muscular shoulder once they finally get settled after their long day. Ricky is next to them, half hanging off the bed and Esther tries her best to resist the urge to touch him. Contact with Sofia like this is _enough_ , having him so close is _enough_. This is the riskiest she's been and she's not surprised when she dreams of her mom. When Esther wakes up, Sofia is gone, leaving an empty space of blankets and pillows that smelled like her fruity shampoo. Ricky had fallen onto the floor and was snoring softly, his soft black hair around his head like a halo. _Typical_. He looked ridiculously handsome even after a night on the floor. Pete was still asleep at the foot of the bed with his back against the wall and his cowboy hat tipped over his handsome face, his wispy mustache twitching as he dreamed. Esther finds Sofia working out in the dojo across the hall. She's sweaty and red faced and her muscles ripple under her sports bra and her Lulu Lemon leggings. _Why is everyone in this little team so hot?_

"Wanna spar?" Sofia's eyes are a little wild as she catches sight of Esther. 

"Yeah, hell yeah." Esther isn't surprised that they fight as well _against_ each other as they do _together_. It feels like a dance. Sofia backflips off one of the glowing manhole covers Esther flicks at her and her foot ker-klangs! on Esthers bat as she deflects Sofia's axe kick and Sofia grins like a Cheshire cat when they have a moment of just staring at each other, Sofia's foot bearing down on the bat as Esther braces it with both her hands. Sofia winks and handsprings backward, and Esther's just distracted enough that Sofia is able to swipe her feet out from under her with a sweeping kick. Esther catches herself on an abjuration of a park bench and kicks Sofia backwards before she can get another hit on her. They keep at it for a long time and by the time they decide to break and go out for that coffee, Esther's sore and sweaty and grinning like an idiot. 

Em arrives at the coffee shop and sits next to them and gives Esther this odd look when Esther touches Sofia's bicep and they start talking about their traumas. Esther is curious, and once they've moved past talking about all the sad shit they've spilled to each other, she looks squarely at Em and puts a monocle up to her eye. Alejandro had given it to her as a gift a long time ago and she liked peaking out of the Unsleeping City to see what they looked like to the rest of the world. Sofia looked the same, except her eyes were the pretty brown they were when they first met. Em looked...well she looked gorgeous, like she does, but instead of her bronze skin and her wings, she looks like a regular woman. She's extremely tall and unfairly stoic, but her skin is an olive tan and her hair is a pretty mop of brown curls and her eyes are dark hazel and Esther's obviously making a face because both Sofia and Em look at her curiously.

"What are you doin'?" Sofia leans towards her, putting her face next to Esther's and looking at Em, as if trying to see what she was seeing. Esther hands her the monocle and Sofia gasps. 

"Oh, Em!" Sofia nearly knocks over their coffees. "You're so beautiful."

The Umbral Arcana can only do so much and the other patrons of the coffee shop are glancing at them with confusion. _Maybe it's time to go._

-*-

"That's...confusing." Esther sips her coffee, looking at Sofia over the edge of her favorite mug. They'd gotten coffee from the same shop they went to for their first _'date'_ , as Sofia liked to call it. A year later and some change later and it's still Esther's favorite place to get cafe au lait.

"Exactly!" Sofia runs a hand through her bangs. "She just shows up, mean mugs Em like a freak, doesn't text me til 2am, then when I come over, bends me over a table," Esther chuckles. "And _then_ kicks me out at 5 A.M. because she ' _has a modeling gig and needs at least two hours of meditation_ '." Sofie does her funny little Rowan impression, tossing one of her hands back and wiggling her head. She's speaking lightening fast like she always does when she's frustrated or excited and Esther just nods along and tries to keep the plot.

"So, did you actually get to ask her about the whole Em thing or...?" Esther laughs fully at the look Sofia gives her.

"I mean, yeah, I tried to." Sofia mumbles, swirling her coffee around in it's paper cup, starting to settle down just a little. They were settled comfily on the couch in Esther and Ricky's huge, open plan apartment. After Sofia had talked a little too loudly about why she was wincing sitting down and how she needed Ricky to _Lay On Hands_ her at the coffee shop, which definitely earned them a few confused glances, they took their orders to go and walked back to the apartment. "But she was being really dodgy and she was upset about something in Faery and then she asked me to just shut up and take my clothes off and, well..." Sofia shrugged. 

"That tracks." Esther watches Sofia for a moment and then sighs. "Well, is she still in town?"

"She didn't really say." Sofia lifts her hips off the couch to pull her phone out of her back pocket, wincing as she settled back in. "And she hasn't texted me back." Sofie stretched her legs out with a sigh and Esther gladly let her settle her legs into her lap, resting her hands and mug on Sofie's thighs. 

"Did you only _actually_ talk for 30 seconds before fucking?" Esther shakes her head and grabs Sofia's foot before she can press her toes into Esther's side in retaliation. 

"Hey!" Sofia scrunched her nose at her. "It was _at least_ 55 seconds!"

-*-

"Where are you?"

"I'm--fuck, oops." Rowan can hear Sofia cursing, mumbling, yelling an apology out to someone and then grunting softly into the phone. "I'm in East Harlem. Accidentally kicking fuckin' shingles onto peoples' fuckin' cars." It sounds nice, hearing her voice, hearing the way she says _cars,_ hearing her breathe into the phone, hearing her mumble as she no doubt was trying to get high up enough to find some precious silence to talk to Rowan.

"Not far at all." Rowan comments, putting her phone on speaker and placing it on the high thread count of her white bedsheets. 

"Yeah," Sofia breathes. It sounds like she's found a good perch, New York's bustling, honking, nighttime streets little more than a whisper in the background. "So, you're still in town?"

"In my bed right now." Rowan's using that slightly pitched voice she knows Sofie likes.

"Rowan." Sofia's voice comes out low and warning. Rowan frowns. She knows Sofie can't see it, and she knows there's a tension between them that needs to be dealt with before it can be easy and good again. But gods, Rowan doesn't want to deal with that.

"Sofie," Her voice comes out closer to a whimper than she means for it to and Sofie's breathing changes. Gods bless those wireless headphones that Pete had gotten for Sofia. Rowan could hear every little noise that came from Sofia's mouth. 

"What are you doing?" Sofia asks, clearly interested now and Rowan can't help but smile at that.

"Nothing naughty yet." Rowan stretches out on her bed, her head resting next to her phone, and closes her eyes, listening to Sofie's breathing and the wind and the sound of their city.

"Rowan," Sofie sighs and she sounds tired. "Last night..."

"I know. We can talk." Rowan feels the dissonance in her chest. She wants to see Sofia, she wants to _touch_ Sofia, but she doesn't really want to talk about the Bethesda Terrace thing. However, she does want to make Sofia happy more than she doesn't want to talk, and that's an odd new feeling. Her wants have never clashed quite like this in regards to a lover before. "Come over."

"No, not like--" Sofia starts.

"I know, Sof." Rowan cuts in and sighs. "I promise. And a Fae's promise is nothing to scoff at."

There's a long pause where all Rowan can hear is wind, distant, echoed sirens and then finally; "I'll be there in a few."

The line cuts out and Rowan sighs, glancing at her phone, staring at the contact photo of Sofia smiling until the screen goes dark.

_Oh, the things I do for that smile._

-*-

Rowan's Upper East Side apartment is only a hop, skip and a jump away from where Sofia already was. Or more accurately, quite a few jumps and a few close calls with the edge of a couple buildings because Sofia was currently nursing a busted knee from a scuffle earlier, and then a--- _ker-thud!_ Sofia lands on the familiar concrete of Rowan's balcony. The door is open, letting in the summer breeze, and the long gossamer curtains billow out toward Sofia as she approaches carefully. Her heels click along the concrete and then the hardwood of Rowan's living room and she glances around the huge apartment for any sign of her favorite faerie. Her eyes get caught on the door of Rowan's bedroom, slightly ajar, the sounds of Rowan's favorite ( _and signed!_ ) Josephine Baker vinyl drifting out to Sofie's ear.

"Rowan?" Sofia was weary of going into Rowan's bedroom. She didn't exactly trust herself not to fall into some lusty Fae trap. Or more accurately, as it happened before, fall into Rowan's bed at the sight of her laying there, calling Sofie's name.

"Darling," Rowan startles her, her voice coming from the kitchen. 

"Oh!" _God_ , Sofia was tired. How had she not seen or heard her? "Jeeze, hey." Sofia sighs and walks to stand on the other side of the island counter from Rowan. Rowan closes the wine fridge she'd no doubt been tucking bottles away into. Sofia appreciated that. Rowan always worked her hardest to make things easy for her, and that was extra special coming from Rowan.

"Hi." Rowan's silk robe was hanging open, giving Sofia quite the eyeful of her pretty lace underwear and the sheer negligee she wore over them. _Always a tease._

"I don't hear from you for weeks and then you show up and don't tell me," Rowan had been pretty stepped back for the past month or so since her and Pete split. Sofia had gotten to see her a few times here and there, but things were happening in Faery that also called for more and more of Rowan's time and presence. It had been hard, waiting around for Rowan and Dale most of the time. She filled her time with vigilante-ism, working out with Ricky, napping with Esther, seeing Em when she could and being around for Pete. Sofia knew relying on another addict was ill advised, but Pete understood her in a way she didn't think anyone else could, and she hoped he felt the same way about her. Running off to Nod with him most nights was nice too. "And then you freak Em out and I try to talk to you about it and you fuck me silly and then kick me out like some random one night stand. What's that all about?"

"Faery has been busy." Rowan sighs, turning away from her and opens the fridge. She retrieves two bottles of sparkling water, turning back and sliding one across the counter to her. 

"I understand that." Sofia catches the bottle. She opens it with a _crack!_ and takes a sip, giving herself some time to articulate what she wants to say. Her body is thankful for the hydration after a long night of dangerous jumps and tough brawls. "Doesn't mean you couldn't have let me know you were around...Also doesn't really explain why you went and scared Em."

Rowan sighs and pushes her hair away from her face. "I just went to see her about something and then..." 

"What?" 

"I saw your lipstick on her face."

"Ah." Sofia rubbed at the baby hairs at the base of her skull. She thinks for a moment. It's risky to say, but Sofie's starting to think more and more that Rowan might be--- "Are you jealous or somethin'?"

Rowan scoffs and tosses her hair. "What, of Em? Hardly." 

_Wow, never seen anyone build a wall that damn fast._

"Rowan," Sofia comes around the edge of the counter. Rowan almost takes a step back as Sofie enters her space, Sofia sees the way she stiffens and shifts her weight. Sofia doesn't touch her yet, just stares at her with those _damn_ eyes and Rowan should have known she was done for once she go this close.

"Sometimes I feel very..." Rowan swishes her words around in her mouth for a moment. " _Into_ the fact that you sleep with other people." Sofia recalled her kissing along the hickey Nadia had left on the jut of her collarbone and asking all about what it was like sleeping with her. 

"Pete calls that compersion." Sofia comments, watching Rowan's pretty face carefully. 

Rowan nods. "And other times I feel the absolute opposite." Sofia recalls last night vividly. Her face pressed to the surface of Rowan's dining room table, her hands bound by Rowan's command above her head, Rowan's fingers digging into her hips as she fucked the absolute hell out of her, her ass red just from the impact of Rowan's hips. She also remembered limping out of her apartment with her shoes in her hands before the sun even finished rising. Thank god for bodega egg sandwiches and Kingston and Pete being more than happy to let her sleep the rest of the morning away at their place.

"Rowan,"

"I'm not asking you to do anything about it." Rowan sighs and looks down at her hands. Sofia's never seen her look so _small_ and unsure. "I'm trying to figure out these...feelings." Sofia laces her fingers into Rowan's, breaking the invisible boundary between them and Rowan visibly relaxes just a bit. "I've been alive for...a while." Rowan tosses her hair. "And I've never felt this _exact_ way about someone before, and I don't want to change anything I don't think, I just-- I..." She finally meets Sofia's eyes again. She opens her mouth, trying to find more words. Sofia takes mercy on her, kissing her til she relaxes into Sofia's arms.

"Ok..." Sofia breathes when they part, leaning her forehead against Rowan's. "Can you just promise to talk to me before freaking my _friends_ out?" 

Rowan laughs. "Yeah, sure, Sof."

"Ya know what they say about Fae promises." Sofia taps her finger against Rowan's chest and gives her a cheeky grin.

-*-

**Message to Magic Girls**

_**sof 'it was only 3 guys and a dog' lee:** first of all, im changing my nickname bc i've been shamed ENOUGH. it WAS only 3 guys and a dog and i won so ha_

_**sof 'it was only 3 guys and a dog' lee:** second, the domestic violence shelter is doing a benefit ball in the upper east side and i figured we could go, show support, SOMEONE WITH LOTS OF INHERITENCE CAN MAKE A DONATION, and we can go hit the town after_

**_sof 'it was only 3 guys and a dog' lee changed their nickname to everybody's favorite staten islander_ **

**_baseball bat bitch changed everybody's favorite staten islander's nickname to You can change your nickname to something cute when you don't get your wrist broken twice in the same weekend._ **

**_You can change your nickname to something cute when you don't get your wrist broken twice in the same weekend:_ ** _well that's just too long._

_**fae bae changed You can change your nickname to something cute when you don't get your wrist broken twice in the same weekend's nickname to Sofie 'hey it only bruised my spleen a little bit' Bikes-Lee.** _

_**baseball bat bitch:** Hahahahaha, fuck yeah._

_**Sofie 'hey it only bruised my spleen a little bit' Bikes-Lee changed baseball bat bitch's nickname to Cassius.** _

_**Sofie 'hey it only bruised my spleen a little bit' Bikes-Lee changed fae bae's nickname to Brutus.** _

_**Brutus:** Love the theater reference, darling._

_**Sofie 'hey it only bruised my spleen a little bit' Bikes-Lee:**...i didn't do this for u..._

**_Cassius:_ ** _Alright, alright, alright._

**_Cassius changed Sofie 'hey it only bruised my spleen a little bit' Bikes-Lee to Our Favorite Gal_ **

**_Our Favorite Gal:_ ** _wait, awww.... <33333_

_**Our Favorite Gal changed Cassius's nickname to our favorite archmage.** _

_**Brutus:** Hm._

**_Our Favorite Gal:_ ** _I'M CHANGING UR NICKNAME RN, DON'T POUT_

_**Our Favorite Gal changed Brutus's nickname to our favorite queen.** _

_**Our Favorite Gal:** _ _u may have disbanded the fae monarchy, but ur still my queen_

**_our favorite queen:_ ** _That's so cheesy._

_**our favorite queen:** <3_

_**our favorite archmage:** Wholesome._

**_our favorite archmage:_ ** _Anyway, I'd love to accompany you to the ball and etc._

**_our favorite queen:_ ** _Same. Let's party._

**_New Message to Sofia Bicicleta-Lee_ **

**_Esther:_ ** _Are you going to be okay going out tonight?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _haha yes_

**_Sofia:_ ** _i got my 4 month chip and i feel good._

**_Esther:_ ** _Okay! Just wanted to check in. You can let me know if it ever feels too much and we can leave anytime okay?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _i adore you. i will let you know._

**_Sofia:_ ** _what are you wearing?_

**_Esther:_ ** _Right now?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _omg_

**_Sofia:_ ** _to the ball_

**_Esther:_ ** _Oh, god. Haha._

**_Esther:_ ** _Probably just my body harness, those skinny tripp pants I have, a button up and my jacket._

**_Sofia:_** _hot!_

**_Esther:_ ** _You?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _you'll see ;)_

**_Esther:_ ** _Not fair!!_

**_New Message from ???_ **

**_???:_ ** _What time will you be here?_

**_Rowan Berry:_ ** _Who is this?_

**_???:_ ** _Esther?_

**_Rowan Berry:_ ** _Ah. Sorry, new phone._

**_Gramercy Esther:_ ** _No worries._

**_Rowan Berry:_ ** _My chauffeur and I will arrive at your apartment at 7:30pm._

**_Gramercy Esther:_ ** _Awesome! See you then!_

_-*-_

Esther checked her reflection one more time. She looked good. Like, really good. She was true to her word and was, in fact, wearing her skinny black tripp pants, glinting silver chains and straps hanging around her hips and thighs. She'd borrowed one of Ricky's tight button ups, though it was a bit loose on her, and tucked it into the pants. It was bound at her waist and shoulders by the black leather straps of her body harness. A chain choker glinted at the button collar of her shirt and her ears were adorned with her favorite dagger earrings. 

"Here's your jacket, baby." Ricky's sweet face popped up in the reflection behind Esther's shoulder. She smiled and turned on her heels.

"Thank you, honey." She kissed him softly as he leaned into her, the smell of his cologne and his favorite tea filling her nose.

"You look very pretty." He said in his matter-of-fact way. She twirled for him and he smiled even wider for her. holding his thumbs up. "I like, uh, all the chains and stuff." 

"Thanks, Ricky." She took the cropped leather jacket in his hands and pulled it over her shoulders. _Perfect._ "Alright, babe, I've gotta go." She kisses him, once, twice and then paused. "Hey, Ricky?"

"Yeah?" He looked at her with those sweet brown eyes and his pretty face between her hands. 

"You know how you said it's okay if Sofia and I make out and stuff sometimes?" Esther tilts her head and watches his face carefully. He just nods and smiles serenely. "Is that still alright?"

"Yeah, totally." Ricky put a hand against the back of one of hers against his cheek. 

"Just in case, do you think it would be alright if that included Rowan?" Esther tries to keep her voice level as she asks, but she can feel herself getting a little anxious at the proposition. She and Ricky had such a deep understanding and trust of each other, and including Sofia and Pete into their circle of partners wasn't a big deal at all. Sofia was more than thrilled to be able to kiss Esther rather than just staring at her longingly, and Ricky got to explore his ~~possible~~ bisexuality with Pete which was great for everybody. This was new, though. Rowan hadn't been on the table, and Esther was unsure how Ricky would feel. She waited, holding her breathe, as he considered. 

Ricky shrugged after a few seconds. "Sure!" He smiled at her. "Makes sense since they have a thing." 

"I love you." Esther sighed gratefully and kissed him again.

-*-

"Woah." Esther said as she ducked into the limo. Rowan sat at the end bench seat with her back to the tinted driver's window. 

"Hello to you too, Esther." She said, barely raising her eyes from her phone. 

"You look amazing, Rowan." Esther chuckled, sliding into the seat near her. "That a hell of a dress."

"Thanks." Rowan looked up fully at her. "You look...very good as well."

"Ha, thanks." Esther felt a little underdressed now, but she also had know Rowan for long enough now to know she was almost always overdressed. "Are we going to pick up Sofia?"

"No, she called and said she'd meet us there." Esther caught Rowans eye. "Yeah, yeah, I know." Rowan waived her off. "If she wants to jump rooftops to get there, that's her choice."

Esther pulls her phone out of the pocket of her jacket.

_**New Message to Sofia Bicicleta-Lee** _

_**Esther:** _ _Hey sweetie. Where are you?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _Down the street. Beat you there!_

**_Esther:_ ** _Be careful!_

Sofia put her phone into her pocket. 

"Who was that?" His voice is gruff and he looks a little worse for wear than he did last night. He's stretched out on his bed, half cuddling a comically huge bottle of water and a bag of Chex mix.

"Esther." She runs her fingers along his forehead lightly. He didn't feel hot to the touch, so hopefully he wasn't sick. Whatever had him too tired to get out of bed for the past 48 hours wasn't physical. "I've got to go, but can I come check on you tonight?"

"Here or in Nod?" Pete's dark eyes peered up at her. His hair was even messier than usual, and he was in nothing but his boxers, his blanket pulled half over him. Sofia flicked her eyes away from the curve of his thigh and the planes of his stomach.

"Nod." She makes him sit up, fluffing his pillows for him before letting him settle back down. 

"Busy in the waking tonight?" His implication isn't missed, but she ignores it. She's dressed to the 9s in a tightly fitted blush pink three piece suit, the vest of which was double breasted and didn't have a shirt beneath it. Classy, flashy and a little bit flirty. Very Sofia. A string of diamonds gleams around her neck, no doubt a gift from Rowan, and earrings to match.

"Is that a yes?" She kneels next to his bed and puts a gentle hand on his chest. 

"Yeah, yeah, sure." He nods, turning his head away from her but putting his hand on her arm. "Sof?" He says when she begins to pull away. "Be good tonight."

"Always," She kisses his forehead and then stands. "I'll see you tonight. Drink lots of water, you hear me?"

"Alright, alright." He waves her off. He's probably asleep before she's even all the way out the door.

-*-

"Oh," Esther breathes.

"Fuck." Rowan finishes for her as Sofia enters the lavish venue, peering around the crowd for them. Rowan knows she looks good. She _better_ for the amount of money she spent on this dress. The bodice was lacey and extremely well tailored to her figure, cut away from her neck and shoulders, and at her waist line it melted into a flowy floor length gown. An almost sheer floor length cape adorned her shoulders, all in the same gorgeous shade of yellow. Still, she felt in awe of Sofie, walking toward her in a monochrome pink three piece suit, fitted tightly to her figure. With Esther in her edgy chains and fitted black pants, they made quite the formidable trio, if not the poster children for some queer outfit spectrum.

"Woah, my dates are smokin'!" Sofie exclaims excitedly, greeting Esther with a hug and then stepping toward Rowan with a big smile on her face. She leans forward to press a kiss to her cheek and then--- "You look so fuckin' good, baby." She breathes into Rowan's ear and Rowan tries to keep the blush from rising to her cheeks. 

"Alright, let's schmooze."

-*-

Rowan's a sight to behold in her element. _People._ She's gorgeous and she's charming and she knows how to talk to everybody and by the time they're making their way to leave the benefit, she's got the phone numbers of dozens of producers and directors for _this or that_ and agents for _what's his name_ and managers for _blah blah blah._ She's recognized for her generous donation to the Women's Shelter, the Speak Up, Not Man Up fund for domestically abused men and the Queer Alliance Against Domestic Abuse (QAADA) and it takes them almost an hour to wade through the crowd and leave because Rowan just loves talking to people and _okay, yeah,_ Sofie feels a little pang of jealousy to see her getting her glamour from other people, but she files that away for later and eventually they're out in the cool air of the street and headed toward the next party.

"Rowan, how are you going to go to these _kind of_ nasty bars in that?" Esther asks, her shoulders and general dispositions a little looser after the couple of champagne flutes she'd had. (With Sofie's blessing.) "That's gonna get torn up in no ti---oh." Rowan tugs on the clip at her waist and the skirt of the gown tears away, revealing a much shorter and tighter skirt to the dress. _Well_ , if Sofie wasn't drooling before, she certainly was now. Rowan's legs were on full display in this new cut and even Esther was having issues keeping her eyes above board.

"My new tailor loves a reveal." Rowan says as she unclips the cape from her shoulders and balls the fabric up, shoving it into her tiny purse and Esther tilts her head at the middle finger to physics as the fabric disappears into it's depths. _Who knew a bag of holding could come in the form of a Versace bag._

-*-

"Wait..." Rowan breathes, putting a finger on Sofia's chin to keep her away. Sofia looks confused, her dark eyes widening a little. Rowan quickly grabs the bottle of water from her purse and takes a big swig, swishing it around her mouth before swallowing. Sofia looks very confused now. "I don't want to taste like booze." Rowan says as she settles back into Sofia's space. Sofia's hands are on her thighs and she's leaning into her, putting a distracting pressure on the fingers pressing into her skin. She was surprised she had the wherewithal to stop Sofia, but Rowan had been so happy that Sofia hadn't seemed to have a single moment of wanting to drink and she didn't want to do a thing to ruin that. 

"You're..." Sofia doesn't bother finishing the sentence, opting to instead press her lips hungrily to Rowan's like she couldn't bear to do anything else. Sofia kisses like fire; fast and hard and biting and warm and _hot_ and Rowan feels herself being consumed. She kisses back as fervently as she can but Sofia's wandering hands make her falter and gasp and she pulls away panting and giggling. 

"You look so fuckin' good, I could barely keep my hands off ya." Sofia isn't stopping, kissing along Rowan's jaw and down her neck with her lips and teeth and tongue and Rowan's glad they're in one of the shadowiest booths at Persephone's because she knows her face isn't hiding _anything_ right now. 

"If I recall correctly, darling..." Rowan knitted her fingers into Sofia's hair, tugging hard enough to make Sofia groan into her skin. "You didn't really keep your hands to yourself."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Sofia nipped at the curve of Rowan's collarbone and Rowan rolled her eyes. She was almost certain it wasn't Esther brushing her hand along her ass all night but whatever. Rowan tugged on Sofia's hair harder until she tipped her head back, moaning into Rowan's mouth as she kissed her firmly. She loved how Sofie always melted for her, deliciously willing to bend any way Rowan wanted her. Rowan licked into Sofia's mouth, reveling in the fe--

"Alright, come up for air, I'm finally back with our drinks." 

"Ah, our fearless scout." Sofia wipes at her mouth and scoots so Esther can settle in next to them, distributing their drinks. A vodka tonic for Rowan, a virgin pomegranate cocktail for Sofia and a Horsefeather for Esther. 

"I hope you never have to learn what I did to get these drinks." Esther jokes, handing Sofia a napkin to swipe her smudge lipstick away with. Rowan prestidigitates hers away watches Esther curiously. She was so casual about her and Sofia. Rowan knew she was Sofia's best friend and all, and she'd found out about them when she came looking for Sofia that one night, but Rowan also knew Sofia had kissed Esther more than once. (Enough times to be mentioned to Rowan, as that was part of their deal.) Esther seemed more than okay with the two of them kissing in front of her. Rowan wondered...

"Did you beat up that bastard bartender?" Sofia asked, sipping at her drink happily. 

"The one you spit on when he called you a drunk bitch last year?" Esther tilted her head. 

"Yeah. Reggie." Sofia's nose scrunched with distaste. "Only my friends called me that, Reginald, you bitch!" Sofia yelled from their booth and Esther grabbed her shaking fist and shushed her before the bartender could see them. 

"Sofia!"

-*-

Persephone's is their favorite bar. It's classy enough for Rowan: with it's table service and is very committed to it's _modern dark ancient Greek_ _aesthetic_ ; edgy enough for Pete; with it's EDM nights, it's dark atmosphere, and all the patrons of the Unsleeping City and queer folx who frequent it; It has Sofia's favorite virgin cocktails and plays the kind of music Esther can dance to. It's perfect. Except for when the vampires show up and try _entrancing_ Esther.

Rowan only complains twice about getting dust all over her Jimmy Choos on their walk home. Sofia just grins and tosses the bar stool leg in the air, catching it as Esther cheered her on.

"Stiletto Batman strikes again, woooo!"

-*-

Esther sighs into Sofia's mouth and squeezes the muscle of her shoulder when she--wait, no, that's Rowan's hand---when Rowan's hand slides up her stomach. Sofia's nimble fingers had already undone the buckles of her harness and the buttons of her shirt, leaving her skin exposed to their searching hands. Rowan's fingers are tracing the outline of Esther's mesh bra and she whimpers enough for Sofia to pull away from her lips and check in on her. She's sure she looks like a mess. She was delightfully overwhelmed. This was all so new and different. She loved Ricky and she loved fucking Ricky, but she was also so incredibly familiar with Ricky that this specific kind of excitement didn't really happen. Different kinds of excitement, but not quite like this. Esther liked it, though it would be even better if Ricky were here. 

"You okay?" Sofia breathes, and Rowan pauses the kisses she was lavishing to the muscles of Sofia's back to rest her chin on Sofia's shoulder and peer down at Esther too. _Gosh_ , they were both so gorgeous. Sofia's hair was still just barely past her shoulders, and down in messy curls. Her eyes were pupil eclipsed and dark, but Esther could still make out little blue and green slivers. Rowan's face was rosy and gorgeous, her intense yellow eyes just a blown as Sofia. She had this dopey smile on her face that Esther couldn't name another time she'd ever seen on her. She looked so content, pressed to Sofia's back, feeling Esther's skin with her outstretch fingers, both of them straddling Esther's legs.

"Yeah, I'm...I'm real good." Esther smiles at the sound of Sofia's laughter and gladly returns the kisses she pressed into her lips. 

"Sof." Esther can hear Rowan whining and Sofia pulls away from her lips. "Take your clothes off, please." She's never heard Rowan use that pitched, whimpering voice. She now understood what Sofia meant by _temptress voice_. 

"Rowan, I'm..." Rowan's already unbuttoning Sofia's vest. Her blazer had been long discarded at the door of Rowan's apartment. Esther meets Rowan's eyes and figures this is a good time to get some brownie points. She tugs at the button of Sofia's pants and slides the zipper down. She can already see Sofia's wearing some lacey number underneath and she's so excited to see her with all these goddamn layers off. Rowan finally pops the last button of Sofia's vest and their all obviously very happy that Sofia isn't wearing _anything_ underneath. And _goddamn_ , Sofia's tits are...incredible. Esther almost whimpers with Sofia when Rowan's hands are finally back from disposing of her vest and are instantly on her breast. They seem to have this figured out already, because Rowan's kissing along her neck as one of her hands kneads at Sofia's breast and the other tugs at her nipple with a steady, almost rehearsed rhythm. Sofia hips roll and that enough to snap Esther back into action and she sits up to claim Sofia's mouth in a kiss. Sofia moaning into her mouth quickly skyrockets to the top 5 of Esther's favorite things.

1\. Ricky

2\. Her bat

3\. Her Aeropress

4\. Sofia moaning into her mouth

5\. Books

-*-

"I think I walked through Esther's dreamscape on my way here." Pete says when he finally finds her sitting at the edge of the diving board of her childhood neighborhood pool. The water is glinting geometrically like gemstones and there are tiny orcas swimming around in the mind bending depths. "Did you..."

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell." Sofia says as he sits behind her with his legs on either side of the diving board. He's warm here. Sofia noticed. No one else she's run into in her dreamscape have ever been warm. She figured it must be because he's real.

"What about having threesomes and tell?" Peter's already ducking the swat she sends at him. "Hey, hey, I'm joking. You don't have to tell me anything."

"I figured you don't really wanna know." Sofia mumbles.

"Because of Rowan?"

"Yeah..." Sofia looks at him. "Sorry I ended up so into her."

"Hey, it's cool." He shrugs. "The heart wants what the hearts wants." He catches one of the waves of her hair, toying with it between his fingers. She leans into the touch. "And you sure are the Queen of Hearts."

"What does your heart want, Pete?" She's looking at him in such a specific way, and he knows the him of nearly two years ago when they first met would have instantly flinched away from this.

"I don't know." He shrugs, letting go of the lock of her hair and tapping a finger under her chin. "Right now? To be here with you. Hear about your night. Maybe goes see those dream jellyfish together again." He leans back on his hands. "After? I don't know."

"You've been in Nod a lot." Sofia turns to sit sideways on the diving board, looking at him more fully. She's wearing a T-shirt Pete recognized as one of Rowan's, over a bathing suit. Pete was wearing a leopard print pair of swimming trunks. Sofia's dreamscape sure did have dominion on outfits, huh? 

"I've been tired." And she feels it reverberate. She feels it in her soul. In her heart. She feels it echoed in herself in a way she only ever feels with Pete.

"Let's go swimming." Sofia stands on the edge of the board and waits for Pete to stand.

"I'm not the best swimmer." 

"Nancy Bibolini taught me and Mario to swim by throwing us in the deep end." Sofia tugs her t-shirt off and tosses it to the dry sun baked cement.

"Yeah?" Pete laughs a bit at that. 

"Yeah. Sometimes...you just gotta jump in and try."

"Will you save me if I start drowning?"

"Always."

Pete stands up and holds onto Sofia's waist. "Alright, one, two, three." They leap with unison and the water is perfectly warm and glitters in Sofie's hair and eyelashes as they sink. Pete's hands float just above her hips and she holds on to his shoulders until they're both sitting at the bottom of the pool. The orcas swim around them and Sofia's giggles turn into floating diamonds around them.

-*-

Pete envies Sofia. She's long been woken up and Pete lingers in her dreamscape, dangling his feet off the edge of the diving board, his toes skimming the crystalline water. The edges of this place are starting to blur and disintegrate away. 

"Who are you?" Pete's met Mario before, but seeing Sofie's half-dream, half-memory version of him is very funny. He's still got his big eyebrows and his lopsided smile. But his hair isn't in the neat slicked back style Pete's used to seeing him in. His hair is a long mess of brown waves hanging loosely around his shoulders. An angry red gash curls over his nose and a dark bruise colors the skin under his left eye. _Mario used to beat up anybody who even looked at me wrong, but he's a shit fighter, so I'd always end up saving him._ Sofie's voice rings out from Pete's memory.

"I'm Pete." Pete waves. "I'm Sofia's friend."

"How the fuck do you know Sofie?" Mario narrows his dark brown eyes. "You aren't from around here."

"She saved my ass." Technically true. Mario stares at him for a long time and then shrugs.

"Yeah. That sounds right." Dream Mario dives into the pool. Pete leans his chin on one of his knees pulled up to his chest. Pete envied all of this. Fond memories of family. People who are here for you. Pete sighs. 

He should leave, before this place melts completely away. It's disorientating and a little nauseating to be spit out of someone's dreamscape. But it's so nice here. A cheery, sunny, chlorine scented childhood memory. Who wouldn't want to be here? 

It also _felt_ like Sofie here. And it was far removed from Pete's current life. Here, he could pretend he was _like_ Sofie. Plus, he knew if he stepped out of here, he'd see the bubble of Rowan's dreamscape. And after that, he'd look across Nod and see Priya's. He couldn't bear it right now. Maybe in a few minutes. But right now, he just wanted to stay here a little bit longer. Just bask for a bit longer.

"Dale!" Sofie's voice is lighter. Pete turns to look at her. She's a bit blurry, like all the dream memory people are, and she looks younger. Her long brown hair is pinned into an upsweep and she's wearing a leopard print bikini. Pete sees that the little pink scar on her chest from The American Dream's killing blow is missing. So is the tiredness in her eyes and the weight on her smile. She's clinging onto the arm of an absolutely jacked young chinese man. He pushes his thick rimmed glasses up his nose and let's Sofie drag him around the pool toward the concession stand. He's laughing, his cherubic face alight with happiness as Sofie munches happily on a candy ribbon. 

"Dal-Dale, no!" Sofie's voice is coming out in a rush of giggles. "Don't you dare!" Dale rushes past with Sofie over his shoulder, candy ribbon still hanging out of her mouth. Pete is soaked in the splash of water as they dive in. 

When Pete met Sofie, she was heartbroken. She thought Dale had left her. _But who would ever leave Sofie Bikes?_ Pete looked away. _No one._ Dale still fought his way out of paradise just to see her. Priya and Rowan had both decided their lives were better without him, and that stung. Yeah, he was better off without Priya, she was the absolute worst. It still hurt. And him and Rowan just didn't fit. Not right now at least. She still sent him the clothes she thought he'd like from whatever modeling gig she was a part of and Doordashed him food when he tweeted about living off two adderalls and a Bang for 32 hours. 

"Hey!" She's got an even thicker Staten Island accent. "I love your shorts!" 

"Thanks." He waves at her from where she's swimming below him. She's just a dream. A memory. But she's still Sofie. And she still grins up at him like she doesn't care if anyone's left him before because she's just happy to be with him now. "I love your swimsuit." 

"Leopard print, it never goes outta style." Pete recites along with her, and she looks at him funny for a second. 

"I've got a good friends who says that a lot." He says.

"Sounds like a smart person!" Dream Sofie says. "Real wise voice of our time."

Pete laughs and let's the tug of the waking world pull him---

-*-

_**New message to Pete Conlan** _

**_Sofia:_ ** _hey im helping Esther fight off a bit of a hangover. Ro's chafur_

**_Sofia:_ ** _Chaefur_

**_Sofia:_ ** _Chauffeur?_

**_Sofia:_ ** _It's embarrassing when i spell a word so wrong, autocorrect doesn't even know what im saying_

**_Sofia:_ ** _Rowan's chauffeur dropped us at Esther's apartment and im putting her in Ricky's care then im comin to see u_

Pete's eyes squint against the brightness of his screen and he scrolls through the notifications that had popped up while he slept. Rowan had liked one of his tweets, that's fun. And Sofia had sent him about 17 Snaps last night. He smiled. He liked being one of her best friends. It felt...good being one of her chosen people. Any lingering sadness from his dream evaporated as he tapped through increasingly sweatier selfies of Sofia out last night. The last snap he got was of a pile of dust panning up to Rowan looking dirty and upset and Esther looking drunk and excited, dust all over her black clothes. Pete laughed and opened the text thread with Sofia's smiling face edited onto George Clooney's Batman as the contact.

**_Pete:_ ** _im not putting pants on_

**_Pete:_ ** _im wearing embarrassing underwear dont make fun of me_

**_Sofia:_ ** _More embarrassing than the wolf undies?_

**_Pete:_ ** _first of all_

**_Pete:_ ** _how dare u say something so hurtful and untrue_

**_Pete:_ ** _the wolf briefs are sick af leave me alone_

**_Sofia:_ ** _Alright alright Scott McCall ill see u soon_

**_Pete:_ ** _i had to google that to know it was a teen wolf reference_

**_Sofia:_ ** _I love Teen Wolf, you love your wolf undies, we all have our fuckin vices_

**_Pete:_ ** _lmao ok lemme know when ur here and ill have kingston buzz u in_

"Coffee?" Ricky's keeping his voice low, careful of Esther's sensitive ears as she rubs her temples. 

"Thanks." Sofie smiles gratefully at him and puts her phone down in her lap. He hands her the steaming cup and then rests his hand on her shoulder. _God_ , there were few things as comforting as Ricky's presence. 

"Feeling okay? I've got some overnight oats if you need little pick me up." Ricky looks down at her, his hair ungelled and loose in messy black spikes. 

"I'm okay, Ricky." Sofie put one of her hands over his big fingers. "I had a lot of pomegranate juice last night." 

"Antioxidants!" Ricky gave her a big thumbs up. "Hell yeah." Ricky picks up his own cup and sits on the couch next to her, looking oh-so comfy in his grey sweatpants and his tight blue shirt. _The Ricky Fit_ as they all liked to call it. "Heard you kicked some vampire butt last night,"

Sofia grinned and flipped her hair, "Yeah, I did."

"So sick." Ricky loved seeing her proud of herself. 

"At first I thought they were some rando creeps trying to mack on Esther." Sofia sips her coffee. "And then I got in one of their faces and--Fangs!" Sofia gestured with her fingers.

"Sof." Sofie looks up at the call of her name, and sees Esther holding her hand out. She's buried in the blankets of her bed, Ox laying at her feet. Sofie obediently sits up from the couch, putting her coffee mug on the side table. She crawls up from the foot of the bed, patting Ox's head on her way. 

"How ya feeling, Esther?" Sofie lays on her stomach next to Esther, resting her chin on one of her hands. 

"I'm never drinking again." Esther mumbles. "And I'm never fighting vampires at 1 A.M. again either." Sofia laughs. The bed dips as Ricky sits at the edge, holding a cup of Esther's favorite tea. 

"My angels." Esther smiles gratefully at them. Ricky waits for her to sit up and then puts the mug in her hand.

-*-

_**New message from Sofia Bicicleta-Wayne-Drescher-Lee** _

_**Sofia:** Change of plans: come to Esther and Ricky's_

**_Sofia:_ ** _DONT EVEN TRY TO SAY YOU CANT_

**_Sofia:_ ** _We're snuggling and watching Killing Eve. it's tradition, you have to come._

**_Sofia sent a photo!_ **

Sofia is snuggled in Esther's arms, Ricky's sweet face smiling from over Esther's shoulder and Ox having somehow shoved himself behind the pillows to be snuggled right above their heads. Pete sighs, _how am I supposed to say no to that,_ and pulls himself out of bed. He sniffs the pants sitting in a pile next to his bed before putting them on and looks at his phone as it buzzes again.

**_Sofia:_ ** _and!!! it'll be good for you to get out of your room. you can't tell me im wrong_

**_Sofia:_ ** _pleeeeeeeease_

**_Pete:_ ** _hhhhhhh_

**_Pete:_ ** _omw_


End file.
